Who We Are In The Dark
by GuessWhatTimeItIs
Summary: Who are you? Slightly AU
1. Chapter 1

The Candy People

"Hmph." A small sigh emanated from a small desk, and in the surrounding darkness, there was no reply. With the sound of shuffling papers, candlelight danced across the deep pink walls, the shadows collecting in the corners like so many dust motes. No matter how many candles were arranged on their little pedestals on the walls, there always seemed to be a collection of shadow that threatened to engulf the room. The pink décor did keep the room from descending into blackness, as the light color always gave the room a peculiar hue in the half-light. A scratching sound could be heard in the twilight, a quill across parchment. A noise quite often heard in the darkness late into the night here, there was always a sense of forced work when perhaps one should be sleeping.

A slight figure occupied the small desk. She could hardly be seen however; what with the sheer volume of work she surrounded herself with, as literally as figuratively. At times only the spire of her crown would poke above the papers, a single red gem fixed to the top. As she sits up, a shock of pink hair peaks above the work, and a soft face makes an appearance. Set with a look of equal parts determination and fatigue, she struggles to come up with the words to put to paper. A knock is heard from the door, a quiet and rather polite rapping sound.

"Princess, may I enter?" The voice was soft and soothing. If one could imagine the sound the wind would make if it spoke, one would know this to be that voice.

"Yes, Peppermint Butler. Come in, please." Without looking up, the girl continued her work. A small man in a suit stepped into the room, a red bowtie a defining characteristic of his aesthetic. He walked slowly into the room, took one look at the mess that dominated the space and shook his head.

"Princess, you know you can't keep this pace up. You need to take a break here and there." His voice was small, but the tone was imploring.

"But I must get these signed, I can't let this go…" Her voice trailed off, fatigue showing on her features.

"Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum. You will not work on these anymore tonight. And tomorrow, you will do no work either. I will not allow you to kill yourself over this matter." His voice was serious, and the tone made it obvious he would not take no for an answer. Still, the princess refused.

"But Peppermint, if I don't do these there will be unrest in the kingdom. If they don't get done, then the whole place will fall into pieces. I can't just leave-" She tries to make more excuses, but the little man silences her.

"And if you fall ill or die from overexertion, then we'll be even worse off. I'm sorry milady, but it's for your own good. I will have the Earl come and take care of the paperwork. He may be a bit…psychotic for my tastes, but so long as he's only put in charge of paperwork he'll do no harm. It's the one thing he won't mess up. And, if he's put up in a room all day he won't be able to put anyone in the dungeon." A fair argument, and the logic worked its magic on the young ruler.

"Of course…I can't go killing myself over these things…I suppose I haven't had a break in a while…" She looked about ready to pass out at her desk, so Peppermint helped her to her bed. There was scarcely time to roll back the sheets before she was asleep, and the small servant tucked her in gently. After he was quite sure she would sleep well, he doused the lights and let the darkness take over. He smiled and whispered quietly as he closed the door, "Goodnight milady."

As Peppermint Butler walked down the hallway, he shook his head. That girl will kill herself with exhaustion for all of us, he thought to himself. I can't imagine how we got so lucky.

The next morning brought light and heat to the Candy Kingdom. The lands surrounding the palace were abuzz with life, and the varied Candy People awoke to a beautiful day. All across the land the hustle and bustle of life would continue to flow, as it always had. But this day was to be different. Bonnibel could just feel it.

"I can sense the adventure, Peppermint. I can feel it out there, calling to me. I MUST know what there is out there!" Having gotten a thorough night's rest, it appeared the princess was in high spirits. Peppermint Butler was less than enthused about the implications.

"Milady, I wanted you to spend your day resting so that you wouldn't be constantly full of nothing but stress and work. I hardly think adventuring is wise." He clearly did not approve.

"Oh Peppermint you know how I can be. If I sat around today I'd just worry about not getting anything done. I simply must get something done; it just has to be enjoyable!" The little man thought for a moment. She was right, of course. She always was. He let out a sigh.

"Well…if you insist milady. But if I may ask, what do you plan on doing?" He didn't want to know, and he regretted asking it as soon as the words passed his lips.

"There are numerous accounts of a vault in the Badlands, hidden beneath The Rock there. I have always wanted to scout it, but have had no time. Today is perfect." He was right. He indeed did not want to know.

"I hope not alone?" He was apprehensive, and almost didn't want to know this either.

"Of course not, I'll bring my trusty Banana Guards. They're totally loyal." At this moment, Peppermint Butler noticed some Banana Guards looking fearfully at a butterfly.

"Yes Princess…Of course."


	2. Chapter 2

Expedition to the Place Forgotten

The Rock stood ominous and foreboding above them, the harsh edges of the dark stone glimmering in the sun. Next to the surrounding light sand, The Rock had made a name for itself as being a single black piece of stone that resisted the elements and rose proudly above the desert to touch the sky. The stone was black and seemed to take in all light and give none back, and yet it also was like a dark mirror, reflecting images with sharp clarity. Many scholars in Ooo debated its origin, and no theory seemed to stick. The Rock simply was. It had been for ages, and even the oldest of Ooo's denizen's knew not where or from what it came from.

There were also the superstitions. The Rock was known as a bad omen, and seeing it in your dreams was almost as bad as the Cosmic Owl in a croak dream. To see The Rock in one's mind often led to nightmares and more, most of them ending in dark and cold, as if somehow this piece of stone had a way to leave its dark memories on those that merely thought of it. Such was the level of superstition surrounding this sentinel that very few in all the lands would discuss it, much less venture close to it.

Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum was not superstitious. She was a woman of science.

Even so, the princess could hardly deny the feeling that one felt when looking at The Rock. Something was simply not right about the thing. The geometry _felt_ wrong. If you looked into the surface of it too close, it was said that one would see more than one's reflection. Bonnibel was not one to believe such rumors, but nonetheless she resolved to not look too closely, lest she find the notorious stone to be holding more than her visage.

The Banana Guards were less than thrilled to see The Rock up close. Every child in all of Ooo had heard stories of The Rock. It was a place that bred monsters, where nightmares were real. They were visibly weak in the knees, but regardless of their fear, they were as the princess had affirmed: loyal. Which is why, of course, they remained. Only the most loyal of subjects would willing go near the dreaded place.

"Well. I suppose we'll have to circle it to look for some kind of opening at the base. So as not to lose each other, I suggest we look together." Bubblegum did not doubt the ability of her guards to find their way. She simply did not want them finding their way home if they saw a rogue shadow.

As they circled the jagged rock, there was little to indicate that there was any way to enter it or delve beneath it. After making two full circles, the small group stopped. Five Banana Guards and the princess in all, the expedition was a small affair at best. It also seemed to be a long trip for nothing. However, after a short while of sitting in the shade of The Rock, one of the guards saw something that startled him. The whole group turned as one to look in the direction he pointed.

There was nothing. Or rather, there was a lack of rock. Part of The Rock had simply disappeared, and a small doorway stood as if carved into the side of it. Above the doorway was engraved an "M", and all along the sides of the door there were carved vines and plants. Bubblegum noticed that the door was fully covered in shadow, and that the light of the setting sun had only recently stopped shining on the patch of stone.

"Interesting. A magic door of sorts. Promising!" She was almost giddy with glee, but the guards surrounding her were less than thrilled about delving into the dark recess. The princess took no heed of their unwillingness and jumped to her feet, making for the door. In a moment she had disappeared into the darkness. The guards looked solemnly at each other, and then proceeded to follow their charge into the deep.

After descending dark stairs for what seemed like ages, the small group found themselves in a long hallway. This portion of the structure seemed to be a mix of carved stone and intricate metal, as there were complex and detailed inlays all along the passage. Upon closer examination, these details were not mere decorations, but some sort of doorways or hatches. Each was circular, and a skull detail was at the center of each, almost like a doorknob. As tempting as this seemed, Bonnibel decided not to risk it.

Just then, one of the guards that had hung back spoke up, beckoning the princess to join him in the entrance to the hall. The rest of the guards also came, and the man in question pointed to above the doorway. In flowing script was an inscription: "The Dead Watched, The Dead Sleep, The Dead Will Watch Again."

A shiver went down Princess Bubblegum's back. There was something ominous about the inscription. It too felt wrong, and Bonnibel couldn't help but notice the past, present, and future tenses. "The dead will watch again?" She spoke aloud, and her guards looked uncertainly at her, obviously fearful of her next move.

Pondering for a moment, the princess then decided that they should continue on. After many of the odd hatches had been passed, they came to a smaller hall with no such details. Thinking of the inscription, Bonnibel decided that the hatches probably contained the remains of the dead, as this was likely a mausoleum of some kind. However, she kept this detail to herself, not wanting to further scare her companions.

At last they came to a large octagonal room, which had several doorways that were sealed along the perimeter. The princess looked at the doors, trying to decide her next move. Then something hit her. Something her analytical mind caught, which her conscious mind only caught fleetingly. This place wasn't simply a crossroads. The floor was covered in many more details than the mausoleum hall, and in the very center was a hatch like the others, but this one was infinitely more detailed. There was some battle mixed with vines and plants etched into the floor in metal and stone. The hatch had one detail that none of the other hatches had had: an "M" in the center as opposed to a skull.

Something in her mind told her to leave. There was something frankly wrong about the place, and yet… curiosity had a strong sway over the maiden's mind. Was this "M" some past ruler? What kind of ruler could put this kind of place together? Who could fill a mausoleum so fully and have a place cut into a rock so foreign and unbreakable that surely magic and technology would be the only recourse? Curiosity ruled her now, and she had to know.

She walked to the center of the room, as her guards had started trying to open the sealed doors. They did not notice as she bent down to the hatch and pulled at the "M" on its surface. They started paying attention though, when the sound of gears and ratcheting machinery echoed through the place. The hatch slid into the floor, and a hatch beneath that opened like an iris, revealing a black hole. Shortly, a large box was lifted from the floor, and as it was raised up, Bonnibel's suspicions were confirmed: a coffin.

The coffin swung down to be lying back several feet above the floor. The iconography of the place was detailed across every surface, and this was surely the most prized artifact in the hallowed hall. A small lever was on the side. The guards looked on in mute horror as their charge pulled the lever.

With a hiss and groan, the top of the coffin split in two and folded to the sides. With more curiosity than bravery, the princess looked into the dark box. The contents of the coffin surprised even her. A young woman lay immobile, dressed in dark clothing with black hair that easily went to her knees. If not for her lack of breath, she could be sleeping.

Princess Bubblegum was surprised at the state of the remains, expecting nothing more than bones. However, she soon forgets this, as she sees what this girl held in her hand. It was but a simple metal necklace, silver in appearance, but with regular lines traced in patterns across its surface, which seemed to glow. She reached to take the artifact, but found herself unwilling to touch the woman's skin. After a moment of contemplation, she braced herself to do so anyways, as this was certainly a technology long lost from before the Mushroom War. She reached for the necklace and brushed the girl's hand-

"I wouldn't do that." The girl had spoken.


	3. Chapter 3

Marceline

Unnatural stillness descended upon the room. She had _talked._ But she was dead…surely after being in a box for so long one had to have died? Every analytical bone in Bubblegum's body screamed out to know how this girl had lived, but in reality she was frozen in a terror that wouldn't allow her to scream. Fear gripped every shred of her being, and her usually quick to act mind was unresponsive. She had not long to stay this way.

"It's not cool to take stuff that isn't yours." Her eyes opened, showing a deep shade of red and almost glowing in the twilight of the crypt. Then she smiled devilishly, fangs showing above her lips. With a chuckle she rose from the coffin-no, _floated_. Her body arched upwards, and she turned over in mid-air as if to be lying on her stomach. She smirked at the princess, barring her teeth ever so casually.

It was at this point that the Banana Guards couldn't handle it anymore. With a blood curdling screech, one of them bolted for the door, and the rest followed suit, not even hesitating to try to protect their princess. Loyal, but only to a point. Of course that point was when she was in most need. Typical.

"You know, you would make a tasty little morsel girl. That pink coloration would sure taste exquisite. After how long I've slept I could use a snack." She licked her lips and looked at the helpless princess like a predatory beast. She thought fast. Fast and dumb.

"I'm not just a snack. I would say I make at least a meal or two. Not that you could have just me of course, I'm mostly made of candy, I mean my hair is literally bubblegum, and I don't even know if bubblegum counts as part of a meal, right?" Mind racing, and only gobbledygook coming out.

"Oh really? So you are made of candy? Weird…so they really were bananas then? Well I don't suppose it would be very health to eat you. Maybe I'll just nibble on you here and there." She said this playfully, and she floated around the princess at a distance, almost like a shark circling its prey. Her billowing hair spread out behind her, flowing this way and that with a mind of its own.

"Also it may not be good for your health if my kingdom found out. I am a princess after all. A ruler would be soon missed." She pushed these words out, but knew that this woman wouldn't fall for that.

"Oh, you mean your people like those guys that just vanished? I'm really scared. Besides, don't you know who I am?" She floated right up to Bubblegum's face with this question, looking every bit the hunter.

"Umm…no, actually." The princess let it out flat, she had no clue. However, no matter who this girl was, she was likely powerful enough to not care about squishing a little princess. She swallowed hard, feeling her life about to flash before her eyes.

"You don't…aw, really? Well ok I guess…I am Marceline the Vampire Queen!" With this she let out a hiss. However, she could only keep her face this way for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"What's so funny?" Of course she was a vampire. "Dead," but not really. Just kind of a sort of un-death, a non-temporal existence. But this was serious now. I vampire has few weaknesses, none of them at hand. Bonnibel had to think fast to survive this one.

"Nothing…just the look on your face. I can't take you seriously girl. You're all pink, you look like you're going to pass out from fear, and your little friends abandoned you when all I did was float a little. It just seems really pathetic to me." Marceline chuckled a little more, and then started to float away.

"Wait, that's it? You're just going to walk away from me? I'm not that pathetic! I'm still here, and that's a lot more than can be said for most people! Nobody even goes near this damn rock, and I went inside. I saw that inscription in the entrance and I stayed. I walked through the mausoleum, and I stayed fast when you rose out of your tomb. I deserve some well-earned credit here!" At this point Princess Bubblegum was mad. Just furious at being put down like that. No one pushed the princess of the Candy Kingdom around, no sir.

"Hey, you better watch your tone little girl. I'm liable to change my mind about just swallowing you up right here and now." She showed her teeth menacingly, she seemed dead serious. But even in the face of certain death Bubblegum wasn't about to back down yet.

"My name is Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum, and I won't stand for this kind of treatment! If you want to eat me then fine, have at it! I'm not going to be pushed around by a bully." She stood her ground admirably, without even the slightest of a quiver. Marceline looked about ready to devour her when the vampire softened a touch.

"Hmph. Bonnibel huh? You certainly don't seem to want to stand for any bullying. I'm impressed Bonnie, you've got more guts than you'd think. Hmmm…well I suppose I should reward you for all your hard work." The princess looked confused at the queen. A reward? Surely she was joking. Just more of her slippery words.

"What kind of reward?" She was apprehensive.

"Well…hmmm…what could I have that would interest you? You're a princess, so I'm sure you'd just love some jewelry?" Marceline arched her eyebrow, looking over the princess with a look of appraisal.

"No no no. Nothing like that. I would rather like to be considered a scientist among a world with no such people. Something of scientific value maybe?" She looked hopefully at the vampire queen. Marceline smiled knowingly.

"I know the perfect reward." With a finger she beckoned Bonnibel forward.


	4. Chapter 4

The Library of Knowing

With very little words, Marceline led Princess Bubblegum down a long corridor. All along it, Marceline did not touch the ground, her feet floating about a foot off the floor. The princess painfully listened to her own footsteps across the dark floor, as they were the only sounds in the entire place. At the end of the passageway there was a sealed door, with a knob that resembled an owl. Having seen other doors in the structure, which she had been informed was indeed a palace, Bonnibel had started to discern that each knob identified the contents of the room. Hoping this next room did not contain owls, she waited for Marceline to open the door.

With but a flick of her wrist, the vampire queen turned the mechanism, and the door slowly slid open. Behind it was nothing but darkness. Marceline smiled innocently enough at Bubblegum, but she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

"This isn't like a room where you filet me and cook me, is it?" She said it only half-jokingly, but there was a really sense of worry behind the words.

"You're so weird. If I wanted to eat you I'd have done it already. I don't play with my food." She too seemed to say it half-jokingly, but there was no malice behind the words. Bubblegum stepped into the room, and Marceline followed, closing the door behind her.

For a moment all was dark. Then a light sprang from what appeared to be the middle of the room. The room was small, hardly large enough for more than a handful of people. At the center there was a simple pyramid, and it seemed to radiate light, but one couldn't tell for sure. Regardless, the light just _felt_ like it came from the pyramid. The duo walked to the pyramid, and Marceline smirked at Bubblegum.

"So I can safely assume you've never seen one of these Bonnie?" She said it almost mockingly, and the princess tried to ignore how the vampire had already come up with a nickname for her. Even with this, she could honestly say she had never seen anything so spectacular. She shook her head at Marceline, and looked on expectantly.

"Well then you're going to enjoy this you nerd." With another smirk, Marceline put her hand on the pyramid, and light outlined her fingers. Then she spoke to it in words Bubblegum could not discern, surely in another language.

And then the room changed. Suddenly they were in a forest, surrounded by trees and shrubs and animals of all shapes and sizes. The pyramid was still there, but nothing of the room, not even the dimensions had stayed the same. Now the trees went on as if they were actually in a forest. Bubblegum reached her hand out to touch a tree and felt the bark hard on her skin. She looked at Marceline, who simply smiled.

"Are we actually…here? And where are we, anyways?" The princess was so confused she hardly knew what to say.

"We're looking at the past, in a way. It's a trick of the mind, so we're not actually out in this forest. We haven't left the room; all that's changed is how you see it. It's kind of hard to explain how it works, just go with it." She turned to face into the forest and a figure emerged. He was a man, average sized, in a full suit, looking quite out of place in this serene forest scene.

"Is…he here?" Princess Bubblegum didn't want to be rude if he happened to be real, but she doubted it.

"Yeah, he's here, but he isn't real. At least, he doesn't exist in one way or another…he's whatever you want him to be." With this, he transformed to look exactly like Marceline herself. "He's the Guardian, and just like your mind bends how you see the room, your mind bends what he is. He is your guide when you're here." The Guardian bowed, transforming again. This time he appeared to be a pudgy man wearing a large smile and a larger beard.

"Guide? Guide to what?" Bubblegum still didn't understand the purpose of this place. It was marvelous regardless of the purpose, but one hardly needs a guide to explore a place made within your mind.

"The Library of Knowing. That's what we vampires called this place after we made it. It has more information than any one person could know in many lifetimes. Even a vampire would need hundreds of thousands of years to know all there is to know in this library. That said, it would be kinda hard to actually put hard copies of each book or piece in an actual library. So we made a library that could be as large or small as you wanted, and have all the information you could ever want in it. The Guardian is a guide so that you can find what you're looking for." Marceline smiled, clearly proud of the place. And there was much to be proud of. But Bubblegum still had a final question.

"You said you had a reward…is seeing this place your reward? Because it is quite impressive to say the least." The princess smiled, sincere in her statement. Marceline smiled back.

"Not quite Bonnibel. I'd like you to feel free to come here any time you'd like to look anything up you might need. I must say I do owe you that much after freeing me from a possibly infinite sleep in this place. And what with you being a nerd, I figured a library card is going to be a pretty nice gift." Bubblegum was flabbergasted. This compendium of knowledge was hers to browse? This was a dream come true.

"All that I ask is that you respect it and that you respect me. You got that sugar?" The ear-to-ear smile on Bonnibel's face made her answer clear.


	5. Chapter 5

On Strawberries and Vampires

Again Princess Bubblegum found herself seated at her desk. Days, weeks, months had passed since that fateful day. After that of course there had been the scare that she had been taken by the queen of vampires, as her Banana Guards had displayed their extensive knowledge of geography and made their way home with all haste. An alarm had been raised, a militia formed, and a search party prepared to go hunting, but all in vain when the princess had been escorted home by none other than the queen's Sentinels.

Of course, the Sentinels were more than a fright to the candy people, who almost went ballistic seeing the hooded terrors. Each wore a sort of coat with a large hood drawn, and each had their face covered with a simple black mask with no facial details, only eye slits which displayed no expression. They spoke rarely if at all, and were armed to the teeth. Marceline had only sent two with Bubblegum, and that was plenty enough to scare the pants off of most of the loyal people of the Candy Kingdom.

The princess chuckled. Her people were not stout of heart, which is why she usually employed wandering adventurers to see to the protection of the kingdom. However, she appreciated Marceline's hospitality, if you could call it that. In any other capacity Bubblegum might call the vampire queen a bitch, but there was some kind of caring that she showed, if sparingly. She did not have a heart of gold or anything, and she certainly wasn't a little softy beneath a façade, but she at least had the kindness to extend Bubblegum an escort and give her a look at the Library.

That Library! Nights she had spent fantasizing about what could be in that vault of information, and she longed to gaze again into its depths. However, she had only had a short time to look before she tore herself away, simply because if she did not she never would. Knowledge had always been her weakness, and she knew to partake sparingly.

However, it had been a while since she had returned to that place. Not to say that she did not see Marceline on occasion. It appeared that Marceline took to the princess like a new toy, as she would pop in with no notice to talk for a while before leaving again, and regardless of her little nags at Bubblegum she was generally friendly. While she had made only one official visit on behalf of her kingdom of vampires, she appeared to come to the young royal whenever she had something interesting to say or some bone to pick.

Turning over another page of work, Princess Bubblegum thought about the odd friendship they had fostered. She was never really certain where she sat with Marceline, but her increasingly frequent visits made it apparent she had some sort of attachment to the princess. Bonnibel was glad of it though, as she rarely had any steady friends, most of them either turning into suitors looking for her hand, royal schmoozers looking for power, or swamp creatures covered in ooze…although to be fair that had only happened twice.

She shook her head. Oh Carl, it's nothing personal, but you leave stains everywhere. That's simply not fair for the maids. As she mused, she heard a faint wisp of the wind come from the half open window behind her. She smiled, and looked down at her work, pretending not to notice. After a minute or so, she spoke.

"Marceline."

"Bonnie." Indeed, the vampire queen had let herself in yet again without a word, and she lay sprawled across the air, looking bemused at the princess.

"You know, it doesn't bother me anymore when you just show up. In fact, it's disappointing when it actually is just the wind." Bonnibel turned around, looking at the woman hovering over her bed. She clutched some kind of…guitar? No, it was an axe. A little of both?

"Well you're no fun. You mind if I sit?" Before getting a response, she plummeted to the bed. It was like she just shut off whatever held her aloft. With a little smirk she began plucking at the device she held, cradling it like a child.

"I had no idea you played an instrument, you never mentioned it." Bubblegum rather enjoyed the noise that came from the thing, a deep throbbing sound that one could feel in your gut.

"I don't mention a lot of stuff_ Bonnibel_." She emphasized the Bonnibel, as she had begun to realize recently that habit bothered the princess. After declaring this, she proceeds to pluck more at the instrument, showing some skill at it.

"You know you really should call me Princess Bubblegum or something along those lines. It's only customary for people of our stature to call each other by our titles." She said this in a tone almost serious, but half-heartedly for all that. Bubblegum knew better.

"It's not like you call me 'Queen Marceline' or anything so grand. And don't you start." The woman spared a glance upwards with this, obviously tempting the princess to do exactly that.

"Oh Marcie, I don't know how I could. You're not exactly queenly." She tried to say it nicely, but Marceline didn't seem to notice either way. After a moment the princess started to wonder about why the queen of vampires had traipsed across all of Ooo to plop herself down on her bed and play a little song or two. Was she looking for attention, or did she really just want to hang out as friends? Marceline was known for being a bit peculiar. As if reading her mind, Marceline spoke again.

"You know, I don't often get outside opinions on my music. My subjects are pretty much honor bound to like anything I do, which is cool and stuff when I'm trying to do some things, but I kind of want someone who doesn't feel obligated to say 'good job' every time I play. What do you think of this one?" She started a song, and Bubblegum couldn't help but feel touched. Marceline the Vampire Queen chose her out of all the people she knew in Ooo to play her music to. After however many stories she had heard of the wild lands Marceline visited, she truly felt a bit honored to be trusted with this.

After a short while, Marceline stopped, and they discussed the musical qualities of what she had played. The conversation was serious, but not without emotion. Soon however, Marceline looked around the room with hungry eyes. Having seen this look before, Bubblegum quickly stood and walked to the door. Just outside she rang a bell, and her faithful steward came running.

"Yes milady? What can I get you?" Ever vigilant, Peppermint Butler stood at attention.

"Could you fetch me some strawberries please? Thank you so much Peppermint." She gave him a smile, and he quickly disappeared to find some berries in the kitchen. Bubblegum returned to her hungry friend, who looked up in surprise.

"You didn't have to do that, I'm sure I could find something else to-" Her voice trailed off as Bubblegum shushed her.

"That's what I'm afraid of. Last time I didn't know about your cravings I lost a good bit of one of my dresses to your appetites. I'd much rather have some strawberries sent up for you than you to nibble on my clothing." She smiled, and looked a bit amused. It was true; Marceline's craving for red had destroyed one of her dresses. Bubblegum didn't mind too terribly, but she would rather not have to shop for a whole new wardrobe.

"Whatever. It's cool. I really like strawberries, so that's great." Marceline said this sincerely, with none of her words guarded. It was a strange moment and a fleeting one before she resumed her rapier wit. "Besides, if I kept going through your clothing I'd be eating up your cute little delicates in no time and we couldn't have that." Always the wry comments. Although Bubblegum thought for a moment about how Marceline knew what her delicates were like…

"Well if you like strawberries so much perhaps I could just keep some fresh ones here for you whenever you come. If you'd like that." She smiled, knowing that Marceline was brash and crude, but not forward enough to ask for such a thing.

"Well I can't promise I'll be over often enough to eat them all, but thanks." She smiled. A knock rang on the door. Bubblegum went to the door and received the strawberries, and she brought them over to her friend, and Marceline plucked some from the dish, draining them quickly.

"You know, this has been fun _Marcie_. I don't suppose you sing too?" Now it was Bubblegum's turn to use some wit.

"Oh I don't know _Bon Bon._ Maybe. You'll never know." With that she was up and out. How peculiar.


	6. Chapter 6

The Knife That Cuts Both Ways

"A thing of legends, a dark artifact forged from the stuff of stars. A malefic thing, every time it hurts another with its blade, it hurts the bearer in equal measure, and the being trapped within feeds off of both. A blade that inevitably hurts the wielder and all in his way, it has such been called 'The Knife That Cuts Both Ways.' To hold it is to bring ruin to all." So read the book, or the false book as Bubblegum referred to it. It was but a piece of information within the Library of Knowing, and to call it a book would be to call a thought an action. Regardless, it spoke the truth, and Bubblegum finally knew that which she possessed in her most secret of rooms.

A terrible secret she now had, one that surely none could know. Only Peppermint Butler knew of the sword's existence, and he would never tell another. Bonnibel was worried. Worried beyond mere worry, she was panic-stricken. With that fear in her heart, she called upon her closest friend and decided it was better if another knew.

"Marceline, thank you for coming. It's quite urgent." With a true look of sincerity in her eyes, Bubblegum practically begged her friend to accompany her to the basement levels of the Candy Palace.

"Sure, it's no problem. What's the deal? I can't imagine you need me, I mean don't you have that kid that adventures for you all the time? Wouldn't an emergency be more his thing?" She didn't seem overly worried or annoyed for having been disturbed, but indeed she was questioning.

"I would ordinarily trust him with this, but he's just a little boy. He's remarkably mature, but this is too much even for him. I know you have experience with such things, seeing as you're a vampire, but I know he would be overwhelmed if-" Marceline stopped her.

"Whoa, because I'm a vampire? Do you have a zombie problem? Whywolves? Some serious supernatural troubles?" Now she looked concerned.

"Kind of that last one…well, you'll see." Bubblegum led her friend down a dark stairway, and opened a secret passage with a small key she kept on a bracelet. This place seemed to not be visited often. At the center of the oubliette there was a small pedestal with something wrapped in a bit of cloth. Marceline did not look happily at that small thing.

"Okay, anything that small that makes you want my protection has to be serious. What is it?" They went up to it, and the princess gingerly lifted part of the cloth to reveal a sword that appeared to be heavily rusted. However, when the light touched it the rust disappeared and in the gleam of the metal one could almost discern eyes…thousands of them. Marceline slammed the cloth back down over the thing and looked at Bubblegum with a look of horror.

"Holy fucking shit. Are you serious? Is that what I think it is? And it's just in a little locked room? Glob, this isn't safe enough. Do you even know what that thing can do?" She was clearly distraught. Princess Bubblegum had never seen Marceline this way. It was terrifying in its own right.

"Well…I just found out its name, and I've heard somewhat of its powers, but I don't know about everything probably…" Her voice drifted off as Marceline looked at her with worried eyes.

"If you knew everything you'd be a hell of a lot more worried. This needs to be moved. It can't stay here." She said this as fact. There was no debating, it was a cold hard fact, and Marceline would not be moved on this point. She was dead serious, no wit and no humor in her face.

"Well where to? It's not as if I have some place better. I mean if I had my way I'd place guards around it at all times and have it sealed away where no one could ever get to it, but that's not possible. I simply don't have anything like that, and I don't feel that I could take the time to make a place like this." She was worried, but what could be done? This was serious, and action had to be taken. Marceline thought for a moment, and then looked gravely at her friend.

"I have a place. A vault, hidden in the ground. It would be safe there…I could take it there and hide it away in a secure room, no one would ever be able to get their hands on it. But I must leave right away then." Marceline made to grasp the sword, but the princess stopped her. She looked pleading at her friend.

"I put my whole kingdom in danger over this thing; it only makes sense that I take it to this vault. It's my responsibility; I won't put anyone else in danger over it again." She looked resolute in her proclamation, and Marceline made to argue, but stopped short. She knew that look, and she wasn't going to question it.

"Ugh fine. I know I can't change your mind, but I'm going with you. The vault won't open for you anyways." She tried to look uncaring, but there was a glimmer of worry in her deep red eyes.

"Thank you Marcie. I need to do this." Bubblegum smiled weakly.

"No you don't Bonnie. And if I thought I could change your mind I would. Glob, I wish I could just destroy it, but the only things capable of doing that…well never mind. It's decided then; we'll take the damned sword to my vault, and be done with the thing. And Bonnibel, if you get hurt at all carrying that thing, I won't forgive you." This was said almost chokingly. Bubblegum looked at Marceline closely.

"I won't, I'll be alright. Don't worry." She looked again at Marceline.

"Fine." Marceline looked away, a troubled look in her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

The Challenge

Being a princess has certain perks. Everyone looks up to you, you have power beyond most, and you have anything that you want within a certain amount of reason. Even with all this pampering, Princess Bubblegum was not prepared for the security detail that Marceline provided.

Marceline herself was present, holding her axe-bass and looking as fierce as ever. Clad in ancient armor the likes of which Bubblegum had never seen, she cut an imposing figure. Around her shoulders she had the full fur skin of some large beast, wearing it like a shawl. She insisted that Bubblegum had bundled up similarly, but the smaller woman had opted to wear something less…dead. With a good coat and little hat, she felt small next to her friend.

And then there were the Sentinels. After their first meeting, the princess had seen very little of these guardians, Marceline's oath-bound servants. Each wore similar garb to their matriarch, and they were all armed with some large weapon. Some of them held aloft polearms, some held maces, and others held crossbows with arrows almost longer than one's arm. Each wore armor of ancient design, and each wore fur to match their leader, keeping out the cold.

Next to all this, Bubblegum felt so insignificant, even if she was the one who carried the Knife That Cuts Both Ways. The artifact weighed heavily on her back, and she knew not how such a small thing could be so dense. She wore only a coat and hat, and some mittens. She had no armament, and she relied heavily on Marceline and her guard for most things.

The vault that Marceline had spoken of was indeed deep in the ground, but it was built into the side of a mountain. Still, it was quite a hike to get to the entrance. Marceline stood by her side the entire journey, making sure to support her friend whenever she was weak or stumbled on the difficult to traverse landscape. Such a friend was hard to come by, and Bubblegum was glad to have her there.

"Don't worry Bonnibel, we're almost there." Marceline had given her friend updates throughout their journey, but now it seemed that finally the march was ending. Up ahead was an outcropping of dark stone, which the princess discerned to be similar to the stone used in Marceline's crypt palace.

"We're here." Marceline pointed at the flat rock, and Bubblegum followed her friend to the surface. Etched into the stone there was a small script 'M', just like all the others Bonnibel had started to automatically associate with the vampire that accompanied her.

With the wave of a hand, Marceline revealed the door. It appeared sturdier than any other Bubblegum had seen, and it took quite a while for the mechanisms inside to open the vault when it had been activated. Inside there was naught but total dark.

The small group stepped into the entryway, and the doors closed behind. Left in pitch black, Bubblegum clung to Marceline. Sensing her friend's unease, the vampire queen snapped her fingers and the torches in the passageway were lit. In the light of the fires, one could see what appeared to be suits of armor arrayed along the walls. Marceline pointed to one.

"The Guardians of the Keep. They're made of the cold sciences that emerged near the end of the Mushroom War. We built them to resist magics of all kinds, and they need not rest, nor eat, nor move. They have stood guard since we put them here so many years ago. Even though I helped make them, they still creep me the hell out." Marceline visibly shivered, obviously not comfortable to be around the things.

"They won't attack because I'm here, but if I wasn't they'd be going nuts. It's horrible to see them work, but kind of beautiful if you understand what makes them tick." Bubblegum looked at the things as Marceline spoke, seeing the things to be a strange mix of features. Each wore full plate armor, inscribed with runes that surely kept out magic. They had four arms, the larger two holding large swords and the smaller two holding sword breaker knives. The helmets had three eye holes, which Bubblegum assumed meant they had three eyes, for whatever odd reason they might need more than two. Almost reading her mind, Marceline spoke again.

"Their third eye is purely scientific, but it senses things that normal organs can't. I don't totally understand it; all I know is that they see knowledge, whatever that means. Or something like that." As she spoke she brought the princess further into the vault. They passed sealed room after sealed room for what seemed like hours. After going down some sort of elevator into the deepest depths of the vault, they came to the final room. Marceline turned to Bubblegum to confront her.

"I can't accompany you into the last room. It's…well, you'll see. All I can really say is that I can't help you on this part of your journey. I will wait here for you to return. Be careful." With the last words, she unsealed the door. Almost as an afterthought, she kissed the princess on the forehead. Bubblegum gave her a peculiar look. "For luck."

With nothing else to do, Princess Bubblegum walked through the door. It shut behind her with a clang, and then there was only silence and darkness. Then, the room was illuminated, and she drew her breath seeing that it was…her castle.

Or at the very least, it looked like it. She immediately thought back to the Library of Knowing, and wondered if the same technology was at work here. However, she did not have long to see she was wrong. The walls were almost transparent, and as she rounded a corner, she found herself face to face with what looked to be the ghost of…herself. A younger self to be sure, but she had remembered being that young. What was this place? The ghostly image smiled, and then laughed and ran straight through the princess. She felt nothing. What in the world…

After several strange incidences like this one where she encountered times, places, and people of her past, she found herself at a door. This was one thing that she had never seen before. It looked wrong in this place, but it was quite solid, unlike any other thing here. Upon its surface was an intricate carving of a tree with archaic writing all up and down it. Bubblegum had never seen such a thing in all her life, but it seemed…familiar. She stepped forward and reached for the doorknob, but she was stopped but the feeling of being watched. She turned to see her younger ghost again. This time she talked.

"Are you sure you want to go there?" The voice was hollow, not her own. It was eerie, but she was compelled to speak to the thing.

"I want to put this bad thing in a place no one can get to it. Is this a bad place to put it?" She didn't want to hear the thing's voice again, but she had to know she was hiding the sword in the right place.

"You'll never be rid of it if you put it there. Give it to me and I'll keep it safe. Please, I know what to do." The voicedisturbed the princess on a level she never had known before, but she knew she had to do something. She would never be free of it if she put it in the door, and it would be safe with the…thing. That is, if she could trust this apparition.

"How can I know I can trust you with the sword? I need to know it will be safe." The thing smiled with too many teeth.

"I am you. Can't you trust yourself?" Then it hit Bubblegum. This is why Marceline couldn't come with. This thing must care who you are, so she had to be alone. She couldn't wrap her head around any other meaning, so she decided to hand the sword off to the thing.

"It will be safe with me." With that the apparition disappeared, and everything went black. Then the door opened, as if the princess had never stepped away from it. As she left the room, Marceline looked at Bubblegum with eyes full of relief.

"I won't ask you what you saw in there. You have a shorter life than me, so it would be easier for you to emerge from that place. It's dangerous for me to venture in there; I might be trapped forever in that place. Thank you for doing this. I _will_ make it up to you." She bowed to the princess, and then hugged her. She whispered in her the younger girl's ear.

"You sure know how to pull at my heartguts you little troublemaker."


	8. Chapter 8

Words of Power

Bubblegum sat in her personal garden, tending to her plants with care and kindness. She treated her garden like yet another citizen of her realm, tending to its needs and coming to its aid. Often overrun with work, going to the garden was the only solace when she finally did have down time. The garden was quite green this time of year, most of the plants in bloom. She sat for a moment on the single bench in the small courtyard that held this slice of paradise.

And then that familiar sound found its way to her ears. The sound of…wings? Beard wings? What would you call wings made of beard? Whatever you might call them, the Ice King was renowned for his skill at bothering the princess and attempting to capture her. He appeared at the top of the wall, just his face poking above the top.

"Hey hey hey! You busy?" His raspy voice made it clear he wasn't asking so much as saying. The princess picked up her phone and dialed.

"Hello! Yes, yes. Again. Yeah, that would be great. Thank you so much." She put the receiver down and looked at the Ice King. They exchanged awkward glances for a moment before Bubblegum heard a door being flung open.

"ICE KING! What have we told you about kidnapping princesses? Geeze man, how many times do we have to come over her and kick your buns?" A boy stood in the doorway, clearly irritated at the old creep. He wore a white hat made from a bear, blue shorts and a blue shirt, and a little green backpack. He was accompanied by a yellow dog of some sort.

"Man, he's never going to listen. Let's just throw him out. " Finn and Jake, the somewhat notorious duo of adventurers. They quickly dispatched the Ice King to cries of protest. After they had taken care of the problem, they ventured again into the princess's garden. They walked up to her with smiles on their faces, excited as always.

"Oh yeah! We totally kicked him in the buns man! But I kinda feel bad for him, that's the third time this week. When is he going to learn?" The boy Finn had spoken, not terribly to anyone, but Jake responded anyways.

"Dude, it's his thing. Just like our thing is kicking him out and smelling stuff." Finn gave Jake a look.

"Hey, smelling stuff is your thing man, don't bring me into that." They chuckled, and then turned to the princess. "Hey PB. Sorry about the Ice King, you know how he is." Indeed she did. It wouldn't hardly be a week between kidnapping attempts. She was very glad these two had enough time to come give her a hand with the nagging problem.

"Thank you so much you two. I don't know what I'd do without your help." Bubblegum smiled sincerely at them, seeing Finn get all red in the face. She couldn't help but notice his little crush, it was so obvious. She saw it as very natural though, what with being thirteen. Everyone goes through phases. However, she never tried overtly to encourage his little heart; she couldn't bear to hurt it too much. Princess Bubblegum was simply too nice for that.

Shortly after she said this, the princess saw a dark shape descending from the sky. Oh boy, she thought. This could be interesting.

"Yo Bonnie, what's new? Who are these twerps?" Marceline was never one for subtleties. As she landed on the tiled ground, Bubblegum noticed what she wore. It was a pair of black jeans with a hoodie that was quite too large for her, the hood swallowing her face and the arms going down past her hands. Perfect day clothing, really.

"Oh, hey Marceline. This is Finn the human and Jake the dog. They're the ones I've been telling you about, helping me around here and whatnot. Finn and Jake, this is Marceline…" Her voice trailed off, unsure whether or not to add the title on the end. Marceline gave her a peculiar look, and then faced the duo.

"I'm Marceline the Vampire Queen, so if you don't watch out I might just eat you up." To emphasize her point, she showed off her fangs, getting a rise out of both of them for having done so. Finn looked a bit worried, and Jake was almost frightened out of his skin. In fact, he was so frightened that he passed straight out, falling flat onto the ground.

Bubblegum rushed to Jake, and looked at Marceline with a sour look as Marceline laughed uproariously. The princess picked up Jake and threw him over her shoulder.

"Oh you're so mean Marceline. Frightening Jake so much! I'll go bring him inside and make sure he didn't hit his head. Finn…stay with Marceline. Make sure she doesn't get into any trouble." Bubblegum departed, leaving Finn and Marceline alone in the courtyard. Marceline smirked at the boy, before calling after Bubblegum's back.

"I won't get in any trouble if you're not here." She looked again at Finn. "So I hear you're quite the adventurer. I don't see it, I'll bet you just help old Bonnibel here and call her errands 'quests'. You're not nearly the type of guy I pictured." Finn looked hurt, and he challenged her on it.

"I go on adventures all the time! Me and Jake are totally awesome at…stuff. Princess Bubblegum believes in us, she totally trusts us! We're constantly doing stuff for her and anyone else we meet!" He said the last part with more conviction than the rest, obviously showing pride in his work for the princess. Marceline smirked.

"You mean you're her little errand boy. If she needs anything important she calls me. Trust me little man, I'd know." With a little poke at his ego, Marceline was thoroughly enjoying this little exchange.

"Oh come on, she totally trusts me with important stuff! I've run all across Ooo for her!" He seemed actually hurt. That's when Marceline brought the hurt.

"Let's be serious kid, are you just doing this to impress her? I hang out with her all the time and all you seem to do is her dirty work. Sucks to be just an innocent little kid that gets nowhere. But I guess that's cool too, someone has to do the bad stuff." Marceline was laying it on thick, and she knew how to eat at him. She could tell he had a thing for Bubblegum from the get-go, and digging at that was working great.

"Well, I…Oh, Princess, you're back!" Finn turned to the doorway and saw Bubblegum standing there, Jake nowhere to be seen. She had a slightly disapproving look on her face, and it was aimed directly at Marceline. The vampire queen knew what it was about; Bubblegum had been in the door the entire time she had been ridiculing Finn. The two exchanged looks, and then the princess shook her head.

"Finn, could you check on Jake for me, I don't know what he's like usually, so you'll have to see if he's ok." It seemed legit, but Marceline knew Bubblegum wanted a moment to talk. Finn left the two alone, and Marceline sauntered over to the princess.

"Marcie, you know that's not very nice what you said to Finn. You just met him, you could be civil for a change-" Marceline stopped her, holding up a hand.

"It wasn't nice, but it was true. Even you have to admit that. I mean really, he's just a little kid you won't give the time of day to. It's nice that you give him jobs and make him feel special, but it's not very nice of you to pretend he's your little hero." Marceline smiled, knowing she had won. Bubblegum's face had already assured her of that.

"Oh, and you're my hero, is that it? You worried he'll take your spot?" And then, more seriously, "You know, even if it is true I hate to break his little heart. Can you try to be…tactful, at least to him. For now?" She looked at Marceline, her eyes showing sincerity in their depths. Marceline rolled her eyes, and then looked at the princess while biting her lip.

"Alright, alright. I'll give the little guy a break." She gave up this one easily, but Marceline knew she'd just make Bubblegum mad if she did any more damage to the boy's ego. She didn't see how the truth was so taboo, but she didn't want to hurt the princess.

"Thank you Marceline. And yes, you are my little hero, if it means anything to you." Bubblegum gave the vampire a wry smile, and proceeded to sit at the bench. After a moment of thought, Marceline had an idea. A wonderful, awful idea.

She drifted up to Bubblegum's face, and with merely an inch left between them, she flared her forked tongue out, licking the princess's nose. Bubblegum nearly jumped out of her skin at that.

"What the fudge was that!" She looked incredulously at Marceline.

"If I'm the hero and you're the princess, I'm allowed a kiss or two." With a cackle of laughter and a wink, Marceline floated over the wall and off into the afternoon.


	9. Chapter 9

Adventuring

As time had passed, Princess Bubblegum had become more and more accustomed to her vampire friend showing up at odd hours. The occasional brush of the breeze against her cheek in the early evening due to an opened window was now commonplace, as the queen had decided that the princess was a steadfast companion. Whether or not Bubblegum was actually comfortable with this or not was irrelevant.

Either way, Marceline had shown up again tonight, this time dressed in almost a regal fashion. Sort of. It wasn't exactly as though she was wearing a fine dress, but indeed she looked to have put some real time into her appearance tonight. She wore a tight black shirt with a studded leather jacket and some skinny jeans. Her red boots and a flowing black scarf completed the look. The princess didn't really want to know why Marceline would 'dress up', as it could only mean trouble.

"Hey there _Bonnibel._ You busy?" Always there was trouble and always was this dark woman pulling the innocent young girl into it. Bubblegum looked up from her bed where she sat, giving the woman before her an odd look.

"I'm not busy…unless you're going to drag me into your latest plot." Marceline gave the shorter woman a fierce look. Not threatening, but it was playful and very likely mischievous.

"Oh Bonnie, you make it sound like you didn't enjoy that last little jaunt we had." The princess didn't hate all of it, truth be told. But there's only so much enjoyment one can have in chasing after candy people trying to explain that the vampire isn't really trying to eat them. What a nightmare. Never mind, she really didn't enjoy it. Oh well, friends are friends…

"Let us not repeat that little adventure again, shall we?" She said it seriously, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. Marceline hovered closer.

"Alright sour pants. How about we have a new kind of adventure tonight?" She seemed sincere enough, but Bubblegum was used to unusual surprises from her pale friend.

"What kind of adventure?" She looked quizzically at the older woman, one eyebrow up.

"The kind that's more listening than anything else. Your kind of adventure. Nice and relaxed." Now the princess knew she was lying. Not wanting to totally deflate the enthusiasm her friend had, she decided to not question it and just sigh instead. It had the desired meaning.

"Well, if you don't believe me, then I'll have to show you. But you're going to have to wear something cooler than that. I'm not showing up with a party killer like that dress." Bubblegum was hurt. She liked that dress. Sure it was frilly and a bit much for normal occasions, but it still looked good. Not nearly as flattering as Marceline's garb though. The princess frowned at the slight to her outfit, but didn't say anything.

After a moment, Marceline shook her head. She had noticed that the pink girl was unwilling to give up her dress so casually. So, the dark lady decided to give some hints.

"Look Bon Bon, I'm not saying that that look is bad on you. It's good, in fact, but it's not really the…style that you want to be seen in where we're going. Please just trust me?" Marceline looked pleading at her friend, a smile lighting her face.

After some rummaging, there was very little that the two of them could scrounge together to make a suitable outfit. With a sigh, Marceline picked up one of the princess's pink tank tops and drained it of color. She tossed the shirt on the bed, and took off her jacket. As Bubblegum watched, the pale woman before her was making a motion to take off her shirt. The princess blushed and turned around quickly. Marceline laughed.

"Geez girl, it's not like we don't have the same floor plan. Plus, I'm wearing a bra, it's cool." Even so, Princess Bubblegum was not one to peek at someone while they were changing. She waited until she felt something hit her in the back of the head. She reached for it and found it was the black shirt Marceline had previously been wearing. Now the vampire wore the white tank top, and she replaced her jacket with a grin.

"Put that on, with that black shirt and a puffy pink skirt, you'll fit right in. It's punk, I guess." She shrugged, and then stood waiting. Bubblegum had donned the skirt minutes before, but now she stood holding the shirt, not sure what to do. Marceline sat there for a second, before realizing the obvious.

"Oh, fine. I'll turn around for you." She almost did it grudgingly. After the princess had changed, the two looked up and down one another. Marceline nodded, showing her approval. Bubblegum had turned a darker shade of pink under the scrutiny, but the fanged woman didn't seem to notice.

With not but a second's notice, Marceline was next to the shorter woman. She instructed her charge to hold on the princess obliged. With a smile, Marceline took off into the night.

It was chilly, the wind whipping past their faces. Soon, Bubblegum spoke.

"So where are you taking me again?" Marceline only smiled, as she began to descend. When the duo landed, they were outside of a seedy bar. Bubblegum looked apprehensively forward, but the woman at her side eased her forward.

After they went inside, Bubblegum discovered why Marceline had dressed to kill. This was a place to mingle. It looked questionable from the outside, but it was clearly a hot spot for those wanting to get out at night. Actually, the princess was impressed. And then she saw the stage.

"Marceline, who's going to be playing on stage?" Marceline almost beamed when she heard Bubblegum ask. As her face lit up, she spoke softly, a smile traced across her features.

"Oh Bonnie, can't you guess?" And that's when the princess saw the poster.


	10. Chapter 10

Miscalculations

Princess Bubblegum was taken by surprise at the realization. She turned to look straight at her taller and paler friend, a look of shock and awe plastered across her face. Marceline could do nothing but grin ear to ear.

"Marceline! You're not taking me to see a concert; you're taking me to _your_ concert! So you _do_ sing!" She glared incredulously at the vampire floating next to her, and the dark lady simply giggled. She giggled. Glob, something in Bubblegum's chest leapt to her throat. What in the world?

"Oh Bonnie, don't be like that. I haven't played at a concert in hundreds of years. There's probably no one alive who's heard me play a concert. You should be honored I brought you." There was quite a bit of pride edged across the statement, but something beneath it too. Having been exposed to many royal occasions and trained to see the true meaning of one's words, the princess felt there was an undertone in her voice. What was it?

Soon though, the lights were getting dim. Marceline gave one last smirk to Bubblegum, and then turned and floated to the stage, disappearing to the back area. Left alone in the middle of the bar, the short pink girl felt very vulnerable. After a moment, a large and harsh man walked up to her. She wasn't wearing her tiara, and Bubblegum never felt so out of control or less imposing.

This man was tall, impossibly tall. He smelled of alcohol and a healthy mix of sweat and dirt. Fear swept over the princess, as she knew full well how easily he could snatch her up. He even seemed to be part wolf, if you could believe it. He moved close, and he was almost a foot away from her when he perked up his nose. He looked at Bubblegum for a moment with fear, and then turned around and walked quickly in the other direction.

Confusion sprang to the princess's mind as the sound check finished up. That man was scared by her? Why? How? Her inquisitive mind started playing the moment back in her mind. He was large and in charge, he was terrifying…and he looked like a wolf. His nose ruffled up, and then—wait. She smelled herself, realizing what it was. Marceline's shirt. It smelled strongly of the dark woman's scent, and for a moment the princess was lost in it.

Then the bass started low in the background. It grew, the sound filling her very head with its deep tones. She turned to the stage to see Marceline standing there, holding a bass low on her hips. The pale woman barred her fangs, and the crowd sent up a sound of excitement. Bubblegum found her own voice among them, never having witnessed anything like this.

The flow of the music carried her through the night. The throbbing notes left her begging for more, and she could hardly wait for the next song. And then something happened that caught the Princess off guard. As the song ended, Marceline stopped playing and stepped up to the microphone. She wasn't going to sing, she wanted to say something.

"Alright, ladies and gentleman! You having fun? Oh yeah, glad to hear it. This next song is special to me, and I hope it can be special for you too." With that, she nodded to the drummer, who started a slow beat. Bubblegum watched in confusion. Marceline had never shown any sort of interest in anything like this. She was hardcore, she was rock and roll, and she was immovable. And then she started to play.

There are places I remember, all my life, though some have changed

Some forever not for better, some have gone and some remain

All these places have their moments, with lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living, in my life I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers, there is no one compares with you  
>And these memories lose their meaning, when I think of love as something new<br>Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before  
>I know I'll often stop and think about them, in my life, I'll love you more<br>Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before  
>I know I'll often stop and think about them, in my life, I'll love you more<p>

The words were so foreign to the princess. This was not the Marceline she was used to you. So different from the norm, this Marceline was full of deep, breakable emotion. Little pink Bubblegum found herself feel vulnerable for her friend. She could feel the vampire's heart hanging on every note as she played it.

When she finished, she bowed awkwardly, let the crowd cheer her on, and then almost fled the stage. She had let something out she had not meant to show. Bubblegum had seen this before, had felt this. She rushed to the side of the stage.

The opposing women stared each other down. The shorter of the two could see straight into her pale friend's soul at this very moment. Not knowing whether this was for the best or the worst, she embraced the taller woman in a hug.

Marceline was stiff for a moment, before returning the hug cautiously. Bubblegum spoke into her ear to be heard over the cheers of the crowd.

"That was great. You sounded great up there." Marceline pulled away slowly and looked at her small companion. A smile crossed her fanged mouth.

"Do you want to get out of here? We can talk more somewhere else." Bubblegum suddenly felt a familiar lump in her throat. She couldn't explain it, but she chose to ignore it. Nodding, the vampire queen took ahold of the candy princess and lifted the small girl into her arms. With that, she flew out the side door, reaching speeds Bubblegum couldn't imagine were possible.

It took what seemed like mere moments to cross the plains and come to the Candy Kingdom. Alighting on the balcony of the princess's room, Marceline placed the younger royal on the hard surface. Bubblegum tried to stop herself from hyperventilating, the speed giving her extreme vertigo. She stumbled, and Marceline caught her charge ably. She floated and deposited the girl on her bed.

The next hours flew by. Talking idly and simply, the two women found new appreciation for each other. To her surprise, the princess found herself unwilling to go to sleep despite her exhaustion. She didn't want to miss this chance to talk to her closest friend. The usually dark and cryptic woman had opened up to her for the first time. Bubblegum didn't want to lose this chance.

And then the moment came. Marceline was going to leave, as Bubblegum could hardly stay awake. As she lay in her bed, wishing she could keep her eyes open, Bubblegum had to ask one last question.

"Marceline…that last song. Who was it for? Who did you love?" Marceline looked surprised at the girl before her. With a small smile she answered in a whisper.

"It's not who I loved, it's who I love." With that, the vampire kissed the princess on the cheek and Princess Bubblegum fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Storm Clouds

Princess Bubblegum woke with a start. A cold sweat greeted her upon waking, and her heart was beating out of time. She could not recall for what reason she felt this sense of dread, but there was something deep in her mind that didn't want to be forgotten. And yet, it was gone before she could discern what she had dreamed.

Getting out of bed slowly, the princess eased herself into a casual dress, nothing too flamboyant. Today was not an important holiday, nor did she have any guests to attend. Today she had a free moment, and she wished to spend it out in the sun.

But the sun didn't feel like venturing out, dark black storm clouds obscuring the sky and threatening rain. Standing on her balcony, Bubblegum felt a cool breeze across her shoulders. With a sigh, the princess resigned herself to a day of clouds and reading. Not that this proposition didn't appeal to the girl; to be sure, reading was one of the young woman's favorite pastimes.

She had just been so excited to stand in the sun and bask in it. There was no heat there, though. With no sun, the world was cold, desolate. For a moment, Bubblegum thought on how Marceline couldn't feel the heat of the sun, having to be constantly in darkness for fear of pain and suffering.

It hit the princess hard. She was with Marceline last night. The feelings came flooding back into her mind, and she had no way to sort them. Bubblegum had never been one to harbor envy for another, but she had felt it then. Not knowing it for what it was, this foreign emotion weighed her down. But what had caused the envy? What clawed at her heart like some evil beast?

Feelings came back to her, but the words weren't coherent. Marceline had said something, right before she fell asleep. The words were comforting, but the princess couldn't recall them.

As if the universe was conspiring somewhere in the heavens, the princess heard a familiar tap of boots on flooring behind her. She turned, and saw the subject of her thoughts standing there. _Unprotected in the day._

Princess Bubblegum almost lost it right there. An urge came into her mind to shelter the woman, before she realized the truth. The sun was nowhere to be seen. No threat was present, but the pink girl now couldn't fight down the thoughts in her own head. Why was she so intent on protecting the Vampire Queen? Was she not capable of doing so herself?

"Hello Bonnibel. How are you feeling?" A light smile played across her face, and the princess couldn't think for a moment. Her mind raced, thinking of the previous night. What this woman had said in that midnight hour was lost, gone to her inconvenient memory.

"Hey Marcie. What're you doing here? I didn't expect you back so soon." Not that she minded. In fact, Bubblegum was happy the dark woman was here. She had grown attached to the way they could talk and be together, and she now found there was genuine joy in seeing her friend.

"Oh, you know. It doesn't get like this every day, so I figured I'd make the most of it." Realization was slow, but the princess felt stupid. Of course, she could do whatever she wanted in the day. And yet…she was here. Again.

There was silence for a while as the princess walked into her chambers, sitting on the bed like the previous night. Marceline followed, and sprawled herself across the bottom of the bed. Something fluttered in the princess's chest, not for the first time, but she ignored it.

"So…what's the plan for today then? What do you plan on doing?" Boldly, Princess Bubblegum got over her flutterings by speaking first. Marceline looked away for a moment, something strange in her eyes. As she looked back, she spoke quietly.

"Well I wanted to go somewhere quick, but after that I thought we could hang out some more. Is it cool if I come back in an hour or two?" She was asking permission. Not only was she asking permission, but doing so ahead of time. Bubblegum was confused for a moment, but decided not to question the cryptic woman and her ever changing moods.

"Absolutely! And if you didn't mind, I could go with you wherever it is you're going." She smiled at the woman curled up at the end of her bed. Marceline looked uncomfortable, something that happened once in a blue moon.

"Well, I don't know if you'd want to come with me…I'm just going to go look at something for a little while." Secrets were hidden behind those eyes. The princess was not born yesterday. However, she also knew how to be kind. She wouldn't ask.

"If you don't want me to go with you, that's ok too." Marceline looked at the pink girl before her for a long time. The silence was deafening. Then, she looked away again.

"No, it's ok. Just…just don't ask any questions, ok?" Nodding, the younger girl got up and slipped on some shoes. The vampire was soon at her side. As Bubblegum wrapped her arms around the taller woman for the second time in two days, she felt a sense of comfort wash over her.

They flew off into the day, the darkness of the clouds extending across the entire sky. Even as they traveled far and wide, the clouds were always present. It seemed at any moment the sky could open into a storm, but the princess didn't want to tell Marceline. It could shorten their time in the day together, and she wasn't willing to risk it.

Soon, they once again came to a place. But this was no party. This wasn't even a town. It was a mountain, not unlike the one that held Marceline's vault. It was odd, as Bubblegum found that events were almost repeating themselves. But last night, that was fun. That was enjoyable. Today there was something wrong with the way Marceline held herself. She wasn't excited. Something held her back.

As they landed, the princess let go of her friend. Marceline did not wait for Bubblegum, but instead floated forwards. She was silent, and the shorter girl was nervous. This behavior was strange. Marceline was driven on, but she seemed sad. Could the vampire queen feel sadness?

They moved forward to a rock, which Marceline casually pushed aside. It had to weigh tons, but the woman paid it no heed. Whatever drove her was unwilling to stop. They stepped into a small cave, and instantly Bubblegum felt awe.

This was not like anything Marceline had ever shown her. The place was small, about the size of the average room. It was rocky, but in the center of the cavern there was a small pond. Out of the pond rose a single stone, carved into an obelisk. Upon it was scrawled some text, but the princess could not understand the letters.

Marceline knelt down in front of the stone, and bowed her head. Praying, perhaps? She whispered something, but the princess kept her distance. This was an intimate place, a place that held some significance to her best friend. She wouldn't show disrespect.

After a while, Marceline got back up. She took a large breath in, and then let it go. Turning, she looked at Bubblegum, peace now in her eyes. Whatever this place was, it gave this fierce woman solace.

They left the cavern, Marceline throwing one last look inside before moving the rock back into its place. Princess Bubblegum had given her word not to ask questions, but this now ate at her. What had happened? What was that place? What was inscribed on the stone? Not wishing to anger the vampire, the princess let it go, with much difficulty. Taking a step forward, Bubblegum looked into the sky to forget her questions.

And the rain began to fall.

It fell harder than it had in some time, and it started without warning. With a gasp of surprise, Bubblegum made to go somewhere, anywhere to get out of the rain. Before she could, Marceline had grabbed her wrist. With a look of desperate confusion, the princess almost spoke, but the taller woman spoke before she could get the chance.

"What are you running from? This is the best part of a rainy day." She spoke simply. There was a smile there on her face. No malice, no trickery. She was simply happy. It was strange; the veil was lifted from her friend's face. She saw that face for the first time, again.

Before she could respond, Marceline dragged the young woman into the rain. They spun in the rain, letting it spill down their bodies. When they were thoroughly soaked, the vampire pulled the princess close.

Princess Bubblegum was always questioning the world around her. She was a scientist, through and through. And yet, in this moment, she didn't want to analyze it. She just wanted to experience it.

And the two embraced one another, locking lips, rain cascading around them.


	12. Chapter 12

The Rain

In a moment, it was over. Marceline pulled away from the princess, rain still falling in droves. The two women looked at each other for a moment. Water flowing down each one's face, the chill started to affect Princess Bubblegum. Shivering in the cold, she looked with a faint smile at the older woman. The vampire pulled the girl into her arms again, this time into a deep hug.

Standing in the rain, there was nothing but this moment. And freezing, numbing cold. Not able to keep the little girl warm, Marceline lifted Bubblegum off of her feet and floated swiftly to a small grove of trees. There was no sign of lightning, so the pale girl decided this would do.

The two huddled close in the boughs of a great willow tree, its arms reaching high into the air. Like a great curtain the tree kept the rain out, and two opposites sat together in the dryness there. Silence reigned for the longest time, before the princess looked up at her dark friend with questing eyes.

"Marceline…what does this make us?" She said it quietly, just above the pitter patter of the rain. The vampire was still, like a statue. Without looking down, she whispered back to the woman curled under her arm.

"I don't know. I haven't done this in so long, and I don't know what we can be. That's why I've held back until now. But I couldn't help dropping hints here and there." She smiled, and Bubblegum realized what she meant. All those times she felt a flutter behind her ribs, the concert, the stories…it was all related. Marceline had wanted this for a while then.

"You…were scared?" With some effort the princess stifled a chuckle. The immortal Queen of Vampires and the master of fear had been scared. But the young woman was afraid too. Of everything she didn't know. There was so much she didn't know.

"Hey, it's not like you did anything! I mean have you actually ever asked anyone out? Or been asked out?" Marceline was striking back, and it was true. The candy ruler didn't have to consider the question. The answer was only too simple.

"No, I haven't. I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh. I just can't imagine you being scared of anything." Bubblegum said it with a smile, snuggling closer to her friend. Friend. Was she still just a friend? Was this woman holding her now something more than that? Marceline wasn't sharing the good mood.

"I'm scared of a lot of things." She said it flatly, just above her breath. Whatever weighed on this woman's mind was heavier than Bubblegum wanted to confront. The princess changed the subject quickly.

"Well I think we need a word for what we are. I want to have a name for…this." It was a serious question, but Marceline chuckled at it. Looking for the first time down at the woman beneath her, she spoke in a sarcastic tone.

"Usually you'd call me your girlfriend, and we'd call this a relationship. But…I don't know. Are we ready for that? This is kind of fast." She hesitated with the last part, uncertainty creeping into her voice. The princess didn't want to lose this, and lose these feelings. In a moment she made up her mind.

"I'm ready for this. I guess I've kinda wanted this for a while. As long as we go slowly, it'll be ok, right?" Looking eagerly at Marceline, Princess Bubblegum clutched at the vampire's damp shirt.

"I just don't know if I'm ready. It's been a long time since I've been…involved with someone." Looking out into space, Marceline let her voice fade into the noise of the rain. Worry crept into Bubblegum's thoughts. She had just gained so much, this was all new. To lose it…hurt.

"Marcie…please. I promise I'll try not to screw it up! I'll do my best and—" Marceline stopped the girl midsentence, a finger placed on the pink lips she had so recently tasted.

"Glob Bonnie, I'm not worried you'll screw it up! I know you'd be great…that's what I'm worried about." Sad again, Marceline seemed to have reverted to how she was this morning. This morning, before they visited…

"Marceline…that place we visited…was that…?" The thoughts were beginning to place themselves in the scientist's mind. It made sense now.

"I've loved before Bonnibel. It's not all it's cracked up to be. Not for me anyways. I don't know if I'm willing to love you…just to lose you." Bubblegum felt a drop of water land on her shoulder, but the rain had been letting up if anything. She looked at Marceline and saw a single tear had slid down her face. Marceline was crying, silently.

"Marcie! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry…I just…I don't know." The princess wanted to say something, anything that would make this woman feel better. But nothing came. Nothing in all of her life had prepared her for this moment. Instead, she trusted her instinct first, a rarity for the scientist.

Leaning into Marceline, Princess Bubblegum pulled the dark woman close, and pressed her lips gently against the opposing pair. They stayed this way for several minutes, but it could have been a lifetime. She didn't know if it helped, but the princess couldn't think of anything better.

Marceline pulled away, and looked down at the woman there. Expectant eyes looked back, worried and full of love. Soon, Marceline completely gave up the embrace of the younger woman, floating some feet away. Bubblegum made to pull her back, but the vampire shook her head.

"I'm not ready for this. I'm sorry." With no other words, Marceline left the princess beneath the tree, not looking back.


	13. Chapter 13

Solitude

The days wore on slowly. There was little activity out of the ordinary, and the princess found herself trying to attend to things in an effort to stave off boredom rather than to actually get them done. Of course, she only wanted to stay busy so she didn't have time to think of anything else.

Marceline hadn't come back. Not that day, nor the day before. She hadn't been around for weeks now. Princess Bubblegum thought of her often, no matter how busy she made herself. There was no stopping the thoughts coming back, and the pain was difficult to bear.

Today, she found herself tending once again to her garden. It looked marvelous, her handiwork obvious and stunning. So much had been done, an urge to accomplish something causing her to re-organize and reorder everything. Nothing was perfect, but it was as close as possible. Nervous habits long reigned in were peeking out, the urge to be in control of something undeniable.

The princess often found herself cleaning things over and over, a habit she had picked up so long ago. Having to fight it down was a constant, and the compulsion to control something in chaotic times was irresistible. It was as if every moment of every day she was being pecked at by great invisible birds. Something was always there, nagging at her mind and trying to destroy her.

This feeling had waned with Marceline. It was like she fought the birds away, had stopped their assault. Something about that woman put Princess Bubblegum at ease, but now there was no denying she was gone. There was only the burden of leadership now, the responsibility of a ruler. Time would not wait for her heart to heal, so the slight woman fought herself to accomplish a measure of her responsibilities.

The garden could look no better. For a moment, the desire to see order and peace was sated. Taking this moment to breathe, the monarch sat down on her favorite bench. The world was in order, and her mind could be still, if only for a moment. She had only a minute or two before she heard the padding of small feet down the path.

Looking up, she saw her faithful companion and friend, Peppermint Butler. It had been a while since that had really talked. She smiled at him as he walked up and spoke.

"May I sit, your Majesty?" Nodding, the princess offered the little man a spot next to her on the bench. He clambered up, and they sat together for minutes, not a word being said. The little man was the one to finally break the silence.

"It's worse than I've seen in a long time." He looked at her with solemn eyes, and she knew what he was describing. It wasn't the garden.

"I can't seem to forget her, Peppermint. It's been weeks, and my heartguts still haven't healed." Staring into space, the princess thought about her again. Peppermint thought for a moment before whispering again.

"Your Majesty, this won't help. I know this is how you cope with pain; we've struggled with this for so long. But you can't keep this up. You've got to move through this." He had always been her confidant. In her youth he had realized the pain she felt in ordinary things. Peppermint was the one who saw the birds first, and he had been the one who worked with her through the anxiety. They had an understanding, a friendship no one else could understand.

She knew he was right, of course. He had always been right. In the depths of her heart, she didn't want to let Marceline go. There was so much she wanted, but it seemed not to be fate. With a sigh, she conceded defeat. The pain was far from gone, and she wouldn't truly be over Marceline for a long time. But it was only now, seeing that she must give up her dream that there was some release.

Now was a time to start fresh. To try and let the wounds heal. There was going to be pain ahead, heartache too. Nevertheless, Bubblegum couldn't let herself shut down like she so often did. It hurt, but moving on was the only option now.

As she stood abruptly, Peppermint Butler looked up at his charge. She looked down at him, and smiled. It was a real smile, one that she tried to imbue it with a feeling of friendship. He smiled back, and nodded at her. Lifting her head high, the princess breathed a breath of fresh air. The little man spoke again.

"Are you alright, Majesty?" It was question, but Bubblegum knew he already knew the answer. They had been friends for so many years; it was hard not to know.

"I will be. I know what to do now." Smiling, the girl strode from the garden. The butler followed closely behind. The pitter patter of feet on the path was refreshing, and the princess could feel a new feeling descend on her. Not pain or sadness.

Hope.

And for the first time in weeks, Princess Bubblegum wasn't filled with worry or sadness. She still yearned for Marceline, but the woman could now force the thought to the back of her mind. A tear threatened to run down her cheek, but she choked it back. She was strong, and it wasn't worth the pain to think of her.

So the princess thought not of the Vampire Queen. And though the birds hovered, they could not touch her for now.


	14. Chapter 14

The Calm

And so time passed. The princess lifted her head high once more, the love of her subjects keeping her in high spirits. There was much to be done, as the winter months were soon upon the kingdom. Far more subtle than the Ice King's blizzards, snow fell all across the land. But that did not mean that the candy people could be lacking in their resolve.

A kingdom does not care for itself, and the princess was soon busier than ever. It was December, and the snow was thick on the land, the palace full of the stuff. Regardless, Princess Bubblegum had the workers clear out as much of the palace as they could.

After all, the Winter Solstice was soon, and with it always came the Darkest Night Ball. It was named obviously, the winter solstice being the longest night of the year. After that, the days get longer, and one can once again hope toward summer months. It was a time of great celebration, a day all of the people cherished. It was the favorite and often largest of events, hosting many games, feasting, and dancing.

Of course, such an event needs planning. Extensive planning, the type that one is usually paid great sums of money to perform. It was this need for order that sated the young woman's needs in the dark months, as her mind wavered more and more to thoughts of a certain dark woman.

She was not forgotten. The woman was always in Bubblegum's mind. The princess had tried to drive every thought from her mind, the dark stain there frequently gnawing at her. She believed that there would be healing. There would be some sense of detachment. None ever came. Sometimes in the dark of night, she would wonder if the woman would haunt her dreams forever.

But the Ball had kept her busy lately. Everything was going roughly according to plan. As with any large event, there were hiccups and catches here and there. However, it went as smoothly as could be expected otherwise.

Finally, after so many days spent planning, the evening was upon them. The night was beautiful. Chilly, but there was no wind, which was a miracle. Guests arrived from near and far, all coming to celebrate the night. There were so many guests; it was difficult to ascertain who was there and who was not.

But Princess Bubblegum, clad in a beautiful pink gown, knew one person who was missing. The woman was nowhere to be seen. Not that she really expected the specter to arrive, but there was always that fleeting hope.

There was no time to dwell on this though. So much feasting and games and dancing and singing…Bubblegum's head was spinning as she found herself running from one thing to another. No time at all had passed, but so much held her attention. Finally, seeing the princess in dire need of relief, Peppermint Butler interceded on her behalf. He told her to stand out on the balcony for a moment to cool off, and she gladly separated herself from the crowds.

The balcony was indeed chilly, and snow had begun to fall. She had a fleeting thought about calling someone to make sure the snow didn't accumulate too much, but then she felt no will to do so. Tired, she walked to the railing and leaned out, looking at the dark kingdom. It was so serene. The princess didn't move, and she felt the cool flecks of snow alight on her shoulders.

And then something was off. Something so strange, and yet so familiar. A creeping feeling ran down Bubblegum's neck. An old thought surfaced. This feeling, this feeling she missed.

Turning, she looked across the balcony. _The woman._ She floated there, a fabulous and shadowy figure in the darkness. Wearing a short dress in stunning crimson, she was a thing of beauty. Dropping down to the floor, she made to talk.

"Bonnibel…" The voice was deep, sensuous, tempting. The princess had not heard that voice in ages. And yet, she knew it well, and had missed it desperately. All the progress she had made, all the forgetting she had done, all of it disappeared. There was nothing left but an intense urge to run to her. She had dreamed of this, dreamed of her for so long.

"Marceline…" Her own voice was weak, and the name almost caught in the short woman's throat. There was more she wished to say. She wished to scream it all, but nothing came. Instead, she walked slowly to be in front of the woman. That dark lady looked down through sad eyes.

"Bonnie. I'm sorry. I was wrong. Can you forgive me?" It was simple. It was elegant. It was everything Princess Bubblegum had hoped to hear. Longing to hear the words didn't make them mean less. They resonated in her mind, striking a chord deep down in her soul.

After a brief moment, the young princess lifted her hand and slapped the woman hard across the cheek. A satisfying _crack_ rang across the balcony as skin met skin. Marceline looked aghast at the young princess, tears almost running down her eyes.

"It's been over a year. Don't you _ever_ do something like that again." The words started harshly, but by the end she was crying. Before Marceline could respond, the pink woman grasped the dark lady and pulled her close for a passionate kiss. They held each for a long moment. As they pulled apart, Princess Bubblegum spoke again.

"I've longed for you and wanted you all this time. I'm sorry I don't have my emotions under control. I just don't know how to handle something like this. I've missed you and—" Marceline shushed the girl. Bubblegum realized she had begun to prattle and practically get hysterical in her mixed feelings. The pale woman whispered into her ear.

"It's fine Bonnie. Just don't make a habit of it."


	15. Chapter 15

Broken

Needless to say, things did not go back to the way they had been. Things could never be the same, no matter what anyone said. No, there was no going back.

Things weren't as they were: They were better.

Marceline had returned, and she showed no sign of wavering. She was at Princess Bubblegum's side at every moment, and soon the young woman wondered who would take care of the vampire queen's business. It seemed not to bother the pale woman, as things seemed to be in control. Every other day or so, a Sentinel would arrive in the night and deliver some cryptic words to his master. She would nod, and then, without a word he would leave again.

Soon, Princess Bubblegum no longer registered these visits in her memory, and often would ask her constant companion whether or not the man had come. Such had become the norm.

As had other things.

Marceline had hardly left Bubblegum's side for even a moment, and this habit had persisted for weeks. The princess did not mind, the love of her life now a seemingly permanent fixture in her routine. This vampire had become like a shadow, always naught but a half breathe away from the pink lips that longed for her.

Sure, she would leave for a couple hours occasionally. The dark woman had her own kingdom to run, even if she normally ran it by proxy. There was only so much a substitute could do. And yet, even in these short interludes Bubblegum missed her love.

And then, one day, Marceline did not come back. She was not only late, she was hours late. A familiar leaden weight settled in the ruler's stomach, and she feared the worst.

What had she done? Or was it Marceline's insecure nature taking over again? Had she feared loss again, and forced the loss early? So many thoughts ran through the princess's head, and she could not be sure of anything.

But she returned.

And all was right with the world when the princess saw the dark shape materialize out of the darkness. A smile found her face, and happiness radiated off of her pink visage. There was no smile on Marceline's face though. Concern was there. Trepidation. _Fear._

Shivers ran down Bubblegum's neck. She had only seen that look once on the dark woman's face. Something was wrong.

"Marceline, what is it?" The young woman ran her hand along the side of the floating woman's face, but it did not change expressions. Her eyes only grew sharper, practically glowing with intensity in the darkness.

"Bonnie…the vault…Someone…Something…broke in." The words came slowly. Like syrup, they fell from her mouth, and with each word, Princess Bubblegum felt a stabbing fear in her chest.

"Marceline…I thought no one could do that. The Guardians—" Marceline spoke as if in a trance.

"They were destroyed. All of them. Something tore them to shreds. The place reeked of evil magic and…I don't know. Something worse." There were no words to describe what Bubblegum felt at this moment. Terror is not a strong enough word; for every part of her being screamed this must be a dream. Nothing could erase this feeling, more due to Marceline's fear than any other reason.

Someone who did not fear death stood before her, but even this woman feared whatever caused this vile act. The words caught in her throat, but Marceline tried to carry on speaking.

"The sword…I think it's gone. I think…I think _he_ took it." Something about the way the vampire said 'he' set the princess on edge. She knew more than she was willing to say. The sword…it had to be the blade she had deposited there herself. But that place…it was some kind of magic that sealed it, right? Bubblegum brought this point to Marceline's attention. She shook her head.

"No, not magic. Something stronger, something worse. The fact that _he_ could break the bonds made by it means he's strong again. Too strong." She did know who did this. The candy ruler didn't want to know, but a morbid sense of curiosity begged her to ask the question that danced on her lips.

"Who?" Marceline was still. She was silent. For the longest time, there was no answer. Finally, the woman spoke in a whisper, spoken just above her breathe.

"The Dead Sorcerer, the Ancient Evil, Master of the Unholy Atomic…_THE LICH_." The last words were spat out, and at once the princess knew of the evil sorcerer. But surely he was only a myth, a shadow in the night meant to scare little children? But Marceline was certain. There was no mistaking the look in her blood red eyes.

But something sat badly with the princess. Something didn't add up.

"Marceline, you said the Guardians of the Keep were designed with science, and made to keep out all magic with a passion. How could a sorcerer take all of them out?" The dark woman shook her head solemnly.

"He isn't _totally_ a creature of magic. Some say he's more science than he appears, some sort of ancient machinery sustaining him, and some dark blend of technology and magic the source of his true power. That's why most people think he can't be truly killed." This explanation didn't sate the princess's desire to know about the powerful adversary, but she was too fearful to ask for more details.

Princess Bubblegum usually had a plan of action in mind when confronted with something unknown. But now…there was nothing. How do you stop someone who can't be killed? Then it hit her.

"Marceline, how was he stopped before?" Marceline looked gravely at the princess. She shook her head, but Bubblegum urged her on. The vampire was insistent. Finally, she explained her thoughts, to the dismay of the pink woman.

"We can't. We just…we can't. The immortals banded together last time, and…" The princess leaned in close.

"Last time we killed everything. We left the world barren. The Ultimate Solution was to beat him to the punch: We destroyed all life, Bonnibel. Don't ask me to do it again."


	16. Chapter 16

Secrets

Princess Bubblegum was paralyzed. The end of the world, the Fall, the Mushroom Wars, it was worse than she had imagined. She had known that Marceline lived during those times; she was immortal, and had been around in the world before the end. But the young royal never considered that the pale woman had been a catalyst of the end.

She hadn't even been just a helping hand. The way she said it, the look in her eyes…Marceline had personally had some say in how it happened. A heavy burden it must have been, to be the person to end the world. All in the name of saving it.

Bubblegum didn't know what to say. What could she say? The person who killed the entire world was the same person she professed her love to every night, the same person she dreamed of and never wished to leave. There was something profound in her feelings. The princess did not feel her love wane in the slightest for this woman. Instead, she felt herself loving her companion even more, feeling a sense of pain for the woman who must have blamed herself for the destruction of the world.

What's worse, now that the Lich had returned, the effort seems to have been for nothing.

Marceline slumped, no longer floating. She had dropped into her lover's arms, and the younger woman nearly couldn't support the vampire's weight. Appearing not much larger than Bubblegum, Marceline still weighed a ton. The two ambled over to the bed, where they dropped unceremoniously to the covers.

The Vampire Queen was inconsolable. It seemed as though the truth of her failure was settling in slowly. She was falling further and further into a nearly catatonic state, and no matter what the candy princess did, she would not stir. Tears finally welled up in the dark woman's eyes. Sound followed soon after, a wretched sobbing. Bubblegum couldn't stand to see her love in this state.

"Marceline, it's alright. You couldn't know. It's not your fault." The princess cooed reassuringly, but the dark lady made another horrible moan in anguish. No matter what she said, Bubblegum couldn't calm her down.

"Bonnie, I killed everything! I'm the Vampire Queen, it was decided I had to do it! I pushed the damn button, it was completely my fault. I was wrong. Horribly, disgustingly wrong!" She was close to hysterics. There was no stopping her; there was no convincing the woman she wasn't to blame. She couldn't have known it wasn't enough. Who could have known something like that?

For a long time this continued. There was no end in sight, and indeed it did not end until both monarchs were too tired to stay awake. Bubblegum rested fitfully, her sporadic dreams interrupted by the occasional groan coming from her companion. Eventually they both slept, but when the next day dawned, neither felt rested.

For the first time, it was the princess and not the queen who rose with the dawn. As she stood next to the bed, the candy ruler looked down at her lover, her friend. She was curled into a ball, her arms grasping her legs tightly against a chest that did not breathe. Even if she was in turmoil, the beauty that was her natural state did not fade. Marceline was a thing of beauty; a dark, dangerous beauty, full of life even in undeath.

However, Princess Bubblegum could not say the same about herself. She felt disgusting, having left her makeup and clothing from the previous day on through the night. Badly in need of a shower, she began to pick out clothing to wear.

It seemed that even if the Lich had returned, he did not stop time. Life went on as usual, as it had, and as it always would. Unless _he_ had his way.

As the princess skulked off to the bathroom, Marceline stirred. She looked up at her friend, weary eyes taking in the scene. She stretched just far enough off the bed to grasp at Bubblegum's skirt.

"Bonnie…wait." Sleep still clinging to the dark woman, she yawned and sat up. Her hold on the skirt never faltered throughout the motion, and when her head finally rose up from beneath the curtain of her black and disheveled hair, she was smiling weakly.

"You look great Bon Bon." It was genuine, such a simple statement. It seemed that she had either forgotten the night before, or was ignoring it. More likely the second, but regardless of the truth, Bubblegum felt her heart melt at the words. She certainly didn't feel beautiful, but the look in those crimson eyes told her she was wrong.

"Oh Marcie. I was thinking the same about you!" With that she abandoned the clothes she had gathered and clambered back onto the bed. With a sublime little kiss, the two smiled once more at one another. The prince then flung her arms behind her and fell on her back. Lying next to Marceline, she couldn't be happier. But dark thoughts kept interfering. She knew they would. But it was not the candy ruler who would broach the subject.

"Bonnie. What are we going to do?" It was a simple question, but there was no simple answer. There was no answer period. If ending the world wasn't enough to kill him, what would?

But Princess Bubblegum was intelligent. She could reason her way through anything. And this was simply another problem, even if it was usually outside of her purview. The solution seemed obvious, but she knew not how to accomplish such a feat. Of course! She was lying with the foremost expert on the paranormal.

"Marceline…can I ask you something?" The vampire grinned a fang-filled grin at the young woman.

"You just did, but sure." Sharp witted to the end. The princess worked the question in her mind before finally letting it go.

"If we can't kill him…can we cage him?"


	17. Chapter 17

Binding

Marceline gave the diminutive girl a long look. The queen's face was unmoving, like a block of granite her features were jagged. Time seemed to slow as the vampire considered the question. With a hesitant nod, she turned her head away.

"Well yes…and no." This answer was less than helpful. Princess Bubblegum expected straight answers in this matter, either you could not cage the Lich, or you could. She stated her thoughts, and Marceline would not look her in the eyes.

"Marceline, if there's a way to trap him, it must be done! It's a real option, anyways." The princess looked at her lover, wondering what else she was holding back. There was something in those eyes, but the pale woman would not meet her gaze.

"Just because we _can_ trap him, doesn't mean it's easy. We knew that we could trap him all those years ago, but we chose to destroy the world instead. Trapping him came in second, _after killing everyone_. Trust me Bonnie, it's not worth it." But that did not satisfy Bubblegum. She nagged at the dark woman ceaselessly.

"Please, Marcie. You have to tell me, it has to be worth a shot?" The pink ruler was desperate. Knowing something could be done filled her with vigor, even if that something was horrible or difficult. But still, Marceline refused. Finally, she divulged the truth.

"Look, Bonnibel. Listen to me closely. We can trap the Lich…in a living being. But that being would be forever tortured by the presence of the Lich. And as the Lich cannot die, neither would the host. We decided that it would be preferable to wipe out all life and let it come back on its own. Could you sentence someone to be tortured without end for all eternity?" In shocked silence, the princess pondered this conundrum.

Trapped in a living being? That seemed a bit excessive. If you could trap someone in a body, why not an inanimate object? Marceline shook her head at the prospect.

"It only works with a living being. The magic that makes it possible only holds up with something living. Old magic like that can only stick when there's something sufficiently large at stake. You can't just shut the Lich up in a jar and call it a day." There was sarcasm in the last words, but otherwise she spoke solemnly. In this there were no loopholes. Unless…

"Marceline…what does the living person have to have?" She spoke quickly, and the vampire looked at the little girl with alarm.

"Whoa, you're not actually considering this? This is a big deal." Regardless of her outbreak, Bubblegum asked again. This time, Marceline answered. Even as she spoke though, there was hesitation in her voice. She did not want to think of the possibility, it was written all over her face.

"Well…the being would have to be living…umm…and have blood, I think. That's usually how old magic works…but why are you asking this." A plan was beginning to form in the princess's mind. Marceline could see the contemplation, and she did not press for answers. After pondering for a minute, Bubblegum spoke in a whisper.

"I think I have a solution. I could make one. A person, that is. We could keep him asleep all his life; he'd never have a personality, or a soul. But nonetheless he'd live, and that's all we'd need—" Marceline looked on in horror and stopped the girl midsentence.

"Whoa, who says just cuz he'd never wake up he wouldn't have a soul? Or a personality? And what if he still felt the torture, but had no way to say anything. Something doesn't have to even have a mouth to want to scream, Bonnie." She was serious. There was no question to this girl, this was wrong. Bubblegum felt exactly the opposite.

"Marcie, it's the only way! If destroying the world won't work, then we're out of options! And at least this way we won't have to imprison someone we know. Isn't this the best way?" Her voice had risen, patience leaving the small woman. Marceline was losing her patience as well.

"Saying it's the best is like saying stabbing someone in their sleep is the best way to kill someone, even though they don't have to die at all!" The vampire was agitated, and her hair was doing an impressive impersonation of a lion's mane. The scientist in Bubblegum was undeniable though, and she would not let up.

"But isn't it better than the alternative? And do we even really have an alternative?" There were almost visible fumes coming off the two women, their eyes shooting daggers left and right. After a moment, the two broke the eye contact. Bubblegum picked up the clothes she had abandoned next to the bed and strode to the bathroom. She started the water. Hot steam poured out of the bathroom, and she soon stepped under the water.

The princess took her time, letting the warm water calm her thoughts. She was mad, but there was no point in fighting about the topic any longer. As she turned off the water, she vowed to listen to her love. After all, the pale woman was the expert. She was the only one with any kind of experience.

After stepping out of the shower, she donned her new clothing and stepped out of the bathroom. Marceline had moved off of the bed, and at first Bubblegum thought the woman had left. However, after a cursory glance she saw her lover out on the balcony, holding a pink umbrella the princess kept on hand after several close calls. She was leaning on the balcony when the equally pink royal joined the vampire.

She made to apologize, looking at the queen in repose.

"Marceline, I'm sorry, I should have listened—" But the woman would not let her finish. Instead, she spoke in a whisper.

"No Bonnie. You're right. I didn't want to see it…I didn't want to be wrong again. But we're out of options." Princess Bubblegum was quite beside herself. Marceline was apologizing and giving in so quickly. What had prompted this? Upon asking, the vampire answered with a gesture.

She pointed into the distance, towards the horizon. There was a dark splotch there, like a storm cloud, but more inky in its blackness.

"We don't have much time."


	18. Chapter 18

Trust and Lies

The smells of chemicals and ozone rose thick out of the royal lab. Preparations were underway, Princess Bubblegum working feverishly with her science, and Marceline making signs and incantations with her magic. The air was thick, the heavy magics settling around the palace like a fog. The protective measures were strengthened, and the binding rituals prepared. As they equipped themselves for the battle ahead, the inky spot on the horizon grew.

Soon, Marceline returned from the courtyard to the lab, with her newfound allies in tow. The trio kept their distance from the table where _it_ lay, but they could not help but stare.

Before them lay something they could not explain. It was a person, a person composed of science and candy. He was cold, unmoving, and yet not dead. He was unborn, which was even more disturbing. They stared at the body, and only Marceline was unmoved by its unlife. Finn and Jake…they were a different matter.

"Peebles, why did you have to make him so…handsome?" It was Finn, the short boy obviously disturbed by the happenings. However, true to his spirit, he would lay down his life for her. And for that, she was sorry. She didn't deserve such treatment, such devotion. Not for the atrocity she was about to commit.

"I figure…he deserves that much." She spoke quietly, almost more to reassure herself rather than to ease Finn's mind. Indeed, even though she had suggested it, there was a sense of hesitation in her thoughts and actions. Was this right?

But the time was nearly upon them. With her task finally complete, she poured onto him the life-giving serum. He was sedated, so would not wake up, but even so Bubblegum almost couldn't bring herself to do it. He _breathed_. His chest moved up and down rhythmically, and he _lived_. She turned away in disgust, not knowing how she had talked herself into this. The only way she could keep on her path was to tell herself there was no other way.

_There's no other way._

Sensing the princess's unease, Marceline glided close to the shorter woman and gave her a hug. Finn and Jake were aghast with disbelief. Neither had ever seen this terrifying woman show such care and compassion. And yet here she was, holding Bubblegum close and stifling the pink woman's sobs.

But there was no time to be sad. The princess pulled back and composed herself, straightening her coat and brushing her hair down. Standing at the end of the table, she began to wheel it toward the door, with Marceline helping to guide it. Finn and Jake opened doors and ushered candy people out of the way, dismissing their questions.

Princess Bubblegum couldn't bear to tell the people what she planned to do. She wouldn't have them know the evil she was about to commit. With a sigh, she told the guards she passed to make sure no one entered her personal garden, under pain of permanent imprisonment. As if she'd enforce it.

She had chosen her garden as the perfect place to perform the horrendous act. It was secluded, and the place was off of the main path of the palace. So close and personal, this was the only place to do it.

Marceline had marked the place, of course. It was covered in glyphs and unholy writings. It was funny though, the vampire had obviously tried to spare the flowers, not disturbing a single one. The princess's favorite bench had been moved to the middle of the courtyard, as it would serve as the altar where the victim would be bound. It was horrendous, to think of what that bench would be used to do, but Bubblegum forced down her thoughts.

They transferred the sleeping body to the bench, and he lay there so peaceful and still that it was almost like he had fallen asleep there on a fine afternoon. Bubblegum sighed, knowing the time was soon at hand. At her elbow, Marceline floated close and pulled at the girl's elbow.

"There's just one last thing. This necklace…it will protect you. Someone has to say the incantation next to the body, and they must be mortal. But this necklace will make sure you're not the victim. And Bonnie…please be careful." She held the jeweled necklace aloft and placed it around the shorter woman's neck, and Bubblegum recognized it immediately. It was the necklace that woman had clutched so long ago in her casket.

How long ago had that been? Things had changed so much since then…so much had happened. There were no words for how Bubblegum felt in this moment. Such regret and sadness, and there was nothing she could say to make things better.

"I will, I know what I'm doing. Don't worry Marcie, trust me." The two shared a moment, eyes meeting for but a second. Finn and Jake were unsure about what was happening, but they both appeared uncomfortable. As the sky darkened drastically, Bubblegum knew there were only moments left.

With that in mind, she grabbed Marceline's collar and pulled the vampire down into a passionate kiss. Marceline was surprised for a moment, but she soon returned the gesture. After only seconds, the sky darkened further and Princess Bubblegum knew she was out of time.

"I love you."

"I love you too Bonnie." Pulling away, the candy ruler didn't spare another moment. She strode to the side of the bench, looking and Finn and Jake on her way. They looked at her in shock, and she turned away. She should have told them before now. But it didn't matter, and she told them how she cared for them too. But it was not the same, and she could see the pain in Finn's eyes. The princess couldn't look. It would only make it worse.

At once, the sky was totally black. Only the torches lit for the ceremony showed any light. It appeared to have turned to night, and the wind howled above the palace. And then, _he_ came into view.

The Lich. A dark being, you could almost feel his lust for power. Surely he could sense the ritual below him, as he floated down ominously. As he neared the circle, Bubblegum pulled the note containing the incantation from her pocket. He was so close now.

Close enough to see him for what he was. He was almost a skeleton, with little bits of flesh and clothing draping over his bones. But it was not only bones; there was metal there, and wires and gears. He was neither living nor dead, neither man nor machine, neither science nor magic. He was some horrendous conglomeration of the all these things, and yet he was more than the sum of his parts. Dark evil radiated off of this nightmare creature, and you could almost feel his hatred in the air.

Speaking—no, shouting—the princess began to read. The Lich did nothing but laugh, a sound unearthly and terrible to hear. However, Bubblegum didn't stop or hesitate. _He_ spoke.

"_**There is no stopping me that way. That weak little body has no willpower, he cannot choose this. You do know that this has to be chosen, don't you?"**_ The words echoed his eldritch power, horrifying and magnificent. The words made all but the princess gasp. She stopped reading the incantation, if only to answer him. Her voice was strong, unmoved by his words.

"Of course I know that. I knew it from the beginning." Calm surrounded her and time seemed to stop. With one hand she removed the necklace from her person and dropped it over the body sleeping at her side. Staring directly at the horror before her, she spoke once more before returning to the incantation.

"I just had to get you nice and close, secure in your victory." With that, she spoke the last several verses of the binding spell. Marceline hissed in fury and fear, and Finn and Jake screamed as they realized what was happening.

As the last syllable left her lips, the world went black.


	19. Chapter 19

Cosmology

Darkness. Darkness and pain were all that she felt. She…she. Who was she again? Where was she now? When, how, why…so many questions, all unanswered.

Unanswerable. All of these questions denied her, everything in her world dark. No words would describe this feeling, and words escaped her. No part of her would move, no part of her could feel, there was nothing.

It was unbearable. The isolation was painful, and impossible to bear. She wished to feel something, to know _anything._

And then it came rushing back. All the feelings, all the words, her very soul rose to meet her body, as everything was connected again. She was Princess Bubblegum. Everything, all of her thoughts slipping back, as though she had been missing her mind and it was now poured from a pitcher into her skull.

But there was still a disconnect. There was no ground, no sky, no walls and no feeling. She simply floated there, surrounded by darkness. And then, a light began to brighten this place.

It started slowly, and gradually the blackness receded. There were stars there, millions and billions of them, and she at once felt she must be floating in the void. But there was no sense in that, and her newly reformed mind told her so. The last place she remembered being was…oh.

The memories of her last moments were painful. She knew the risks, she had known what she was going to do, and she knew the evil she was going to inflict upon herself. There was no stopping it, no preventing it. There was a part of herself that knew about needing to consent to the ritual before she even read about it. She had to do it. There was no other alternative.

Was it right? Was it her right to keep the truth from her friends, from her subjects? From Finn, and Jake, and Peppermint Butler? From Marceline?

Marceline. Glob, Bubblegum knew she was going to hurt the worst. Why had she said those damn words right beforehand? What did she want to do, make the girl hurt worse? Damnit, she knew it was a mistake. But Marceline was strong. And she had time to heal. All the time in the world. But in a way, the princess would live forever too, or so it seemed. The binding should have worked that way.

But Bubblegum was no longer so sure. She questioned whether or not the process had worked. Wouldn't she have some feeling of the Lich? So many questions plagued this woman's mind, and she had no way to answer them.

But now the light had a form. The stars shone in the distance, but a brighter star was approaching. And yet, it was no star. There was a shape to it, and a transparency. Movement caught at its edges, and as it finally was close enough to see, Bubblegum gasped.

She was dead. This was death. There was no escaping, no rationalization. She wanted to cry out, but she could not. She wished to scream, but no sound would leave her.

The Cosmic Owl. Warm light radiated from it, and a sense of light and wonderful things. And yet, it made the woman sad. This really did mean she was dead and gone, this was some alternate plane. She couldn't go back. Even in its magnificence, she was sad to know she couldn't return to her life. The ruler had resigned herself to this fate before, as she stared down the Lich, but now…it was difficult, now that it was real.

"Why do you cry, my dear?" The voice startled her, but her tears were almost more of a surprise. She hadn't even realized she was crying, the tears now coming down in droves. You can cry in the next life? How lonely and horrendous it would be to wait for her friends to join her.

Oh glob. And _she_ would never join her. They'd always be separate. The thought made Bubblegum cry even harder. The benevolent spirit showed extreme patience, waiting for her. When she finally calmed herself, she looked at the owl.

He was almost…smiling? She couldn't tell, but she _felt_ it. And she wondered why it would smile. Not knowing, she asked it. It continued to smile without smiling, and spoke with a voice unearthly but pleasant.

"I've watched you for long, my dear. You're a shining light in a dark world, one of only a few. I knew you were meant for greatness, and here you are my dear. You chose to give your very soul and sanity for the lives of your friends. It takes extraordinary courage to do that." He chuckled. It was a happy sound, reverberating in her chest and filling her with an odd joy. To hear it made her smile despite herself.

But soon even that feeling faded. The little princess felt so hollow.

"Heavy is your heart. And well it should be. You made the ultimate sacrifice. But I am not unfair, and I shall give you your life back, if that is your wish. The Lich shall be unmade, and you will return to live your life in Ooo." His voice was soft, comforting. Bubblegum thought for a moment on his offer, but ultimately shook her head.

"I just want my friends to be happy. And…I don't want her to miss me; I want Marceline to be happy." The words felt right. Sure, she wanted her life back, but there was more to life than her little desires. And surely, they deserved that much.

The Cosmic Owl looked at her carefully. An odd expression came over his face, before he smiled again. Spreading his wings wide, the being let forth a loud laugh. Princess Bubblegum would have fallen backwards in surprise if not for the lack of standing.

"Very well, my dear. They will be happy, and she will not miss you." With that, he waved his wings.

And she woke with a gasp of air.


	20. Chapter 20

Who We Are

The Lich floated closer. The stench of him had not faded through the centuries, and Marceline could feel the evil misting off of him. As he hovered before the group, the princess in the circle chanted the words of power. The lich looked on in…humor?

He was laughing. The Vampire Queen had seen the Lich laugh in her long and unnatural life. It meant he felt he was close to victory. And yet, surely he must know what they were trying to do. Surely he should be scared of the ritual they were enacting, and he was aware of the danger. Unless he wasn't afraid. Unless she was wrong…again.

She looked on in mute horror as he spoke.

"_**There is no stopping me that way. That weak little body has no willpower, he cannot choose this. You do know that this has to be chosen, don't you?" **_Marceline realized her mistake too late. She had not foreseen this. She had no idea. And suddenly, the surety she had felt was drained from her mind, and she knew she had failed.

And again, she was going to be to blame for the deaths of her friends, and of everyone in the entire world. The weight of it was sinking in when she heard Princess Bubblegum speak up to the Lich.

"Of course I know that. I knew it from the beginning." Something was wrong. Her voice…the tone, the horridness of a true realization dawned upon the vampire. Bubblegum knew, but she was not afraid. Not only was she unmoving, she was confident. And she had followed through with the plan knowing it would fail. Unless…

"I just had to get you nice and close, secure in your victory." No. This was wrong. She wasn't following the plan. She had her own plan, and she had told no one.

As Marceline watched her princess drop the amulet onto the body next to her, the pieces clicked into place.

She didn't tell anyone because they would have stopped her. She thought this was the right way to end it. Marceline's breathe hitched in her throat, and she watched the Lich flinch involuntarily. This small woman made of candy had frightened the Lich. He knew he was beaten.

And Marceline watched as the love of her eternal life sacrificed herself to kill him.

A hissing from the pit of her being escaped her lips, as the Lich disappeared in a flash of light and the princess crumpled to the ground. Marceline could not recall moving, but she caught the light woman in her arms, her limp form feeling _wrong_ in her arms.

Princess Bubblegum was lively. She always had been. But now…she was lifeless. That familiar pulse was gone, the life having flown from her body. Marceline was overcome with feelings. Deep feelings, things she had not felt in lifetimes. Dark feelings welled up inside of her guts, not only sadness, but pure and unadulterated hate. A hate for the Lich, for herself, for the very world upon which she kneeled.

Marceline cried out, a soul-wrenching howl. She felt pain, a pain profound and sickening, as though her very guts had been laid before her and picked apart by vultures. The vampire convulsed, doubling over in her sorrow. It had been centuries since she had felt this way at the death of a mortal. She had almost gotten used to the deaths of the frail, never getting attached to them in the first place. But with Bubblegum she had let her guard down. She believed, she lied to herself that this would be different.

And now there was nothing left in her heart except pain. Pain and doubt. Marceline knew not what to do, so she simply held Bonnibel in her arms. Finn and Jake stood by, clearly concerned. However they were scared, the sound Marceline had emitted causing even more concern in their minds.

Tears ran down her face, as she let all the emotions out. Now was the time to feel the pain, she would not hide her feelings. Not for Bonnie. Her love deserved more than that. She deserved to be held for hundreds of years if not more, and Marceline would still love her after all that time.

But now there was something else. She could feel a presence. Something powerful, something hopeful. Marceline was presented with a vision, the likes of which stopped her tears.

She would not believe it. The vampire had been visited before, but she had would not believe her eyes. A vampire she was, and she had seen so much that it was difficult to determine real life from fiction. Had her weary and addled mind tried to fool her? Was her sanity now unhinged at the loss of her love?

And then a breath was drawn in her arms.

Marceline drew her own, looking at the bundle of pink in her arms. Small eyes opened there, looking up to the dark lady that held her.

"Marcie?" The voice was light, merely a whisper. But it was there, and that's all that mattered.


	21. Chapter 21

An Ending

The sun loomed high in the sky, and a warm breeze floated across the countryside. Birds sang high in the sky, and flowers were in bloom. The world seemed to be at ease, not a shadow or harsh word out of place in all this beauty. And amidst all the happiness there was rejoicing also. The people sang and danced and made merry every moment of this blissful day. From the moment the sun rose above the horizon to the moment it dipped below the hills again, there was cheerfulness among the people.

For today marked the anniversary of when Princess Bubblegum valiantly stood before the Lich and struck him down from his twisted unlife. A year ago today she had saved the candy people, and indeed all the people of Ooo, although it was not until later that she had the heart to tell them. She simply couldn't bear the thought of telling them quite how close to death they had been, but upon further urgings she told the story to hundreds of attentive ears despite herself.

The wind blew softly in through the princess's bedroom window, almost upsetting a pile of papers on her desk. They were piled high, almost so that one could not see the desk. But there was no sound of scrawling penmanship to be heard. No sounds of sighing or impatience would reach one's ears if one drew too close.

Indeed, there was no small pink woman at that desk for once. But she was not in her garden either. And she wasn't in the courtyard, or out in the palace. It was strange, for on this day of celebration the guest of honor was missing. However, Peppermint Butler was not worried for his charge. He was simply busy, assuring guests from far and wide that the princess was safe, if absent for the moment.

There was a rustling beneath sheets, a movement done in sleeping. Princess Bubblegum had no appointments today so she slept soundly. She had forgotten about the anniversary, so she slept with a false sense of security, her unconscious mind urging her to wakefulness from her dreams.

Waking slowly, the candy ruler opened her eyes and stared out into the darkness. She didn't feel like getting up, and it felt so warm in bed that she decided to just turn over and sleep a little longer. Today was her day off, and she was going to take it slowly and enjoy every moment of it. But there was something nagging at her mind. Something in her mind that wouldn't go away, like a small insect flying near her ear.

The nagging turned into a screaming in her mind, as a horrendous realization came over her. Today was the anniversary of the defeat of the Lich. And she was having a huge party to celebrate and she had invited everyone she knew and she was going to be late. The thoughts cascaded messily down her spine as her eyes shot open in shock.

She whipped back the covers and shot out of bed like a bat out of hell. Which is precisely when she tripped and fell into closet doors. Closet doors? Her brain was spinning, and there was suddenly a sense of unease at her surroundings. An unnatural fear sprang up in her mind as she tried to reason out her place in the world. Then a voice interrupted her mounting anxiety.

"Bonnie, what the stuff?" It was groggy, and emanated from the covers she had just recently vacated. With a sigh of relief, Bubblegum felt her mind at ease. She had simply stayed at one of Marceline's many living spaces, having crashed there the night before after a night out. The princess shook her head and walked back to the bed, sitting down on the edge of the mattress.

"Sorry love, I have to get going, I've got to get back in time for my party tonight. You remember, right?" Of course, Bubblegum didn't really expect Marceline to remember it, having forgotten it herself. With a wry smile, Marceline shot a sneaky look up at the pink woman, making her turn a shade darker.

"Yeah, I remember. But that's not until tonight. Come back here, stay a bit longer…" With that, the dark woman reached out and pulled the princess into her arms. After a short round of wrestling back and forth, Bubblegum gave up. She let out a sigh and flopped her arms outwards across the bed looking up at the ceiling.

"Fine Marcie, but just a little longer, ok?" She turned her head to look at the vampire, who already had her eyes glued to the pink woman. Bubblegum knew that look well, and knew it would be longer than a few minutes until she could untangle herself from this dark figure with hungry eyes. With a smile full of charm, Marceline leaned into Bubblegum's shoulder and whispered into the softness of her neck.

"How about you stay until I let you leave?" Her voice was throaty, heavy. Princess Bubblegum felt her whole body respond to the sound, a sort of resonating tingle. Suddenly she could feel the hunger in Marceline's eyes welling up in her own. The need to be prepared and early for tonight was temporarily pushed to the back of her mind as she turned her head down to meet the vampire queen's.

"I think you might have to hold me down to keep me here."


End file.
